29.03.19
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‘Asia’s water tower’ is in danger as 80 per cent of glaciers in China may disappear in the 21st Century.

​China's glaciers supply drinking water to more than two billion people, but climate change means 80 per cent of them are forecast to disappear this century. How can Asian countries survive without Tibetan glaciers and water? But due to climate change, the Tibetan plateau’s glaciers are depleting faster than anywhere else on earth. The loss of Tibetan glaciers means the loss of livelihood for the people who are dependent on these rivers — over a quarter of the world’s total population. The melting of glaciers will initially cause more floods in the region until they melt completely, providing more water in the short term. But in the long run, with depleted glacial ice, runoff will be dramatically reduced. Many scientists predict that the quantity of runoff water from melting glaciers is likely to increase at least until 2050, and then it will decrease. With a large proportion of the region’s population already living in poverty and dependent on natural resources for food and livelihood, limiting access to fresh water will push the entire region deeper into vulnerability. By 2025, water scarcity is predicted to affect 1.8 billion people, particularly in Asia.
Credit: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST