14/03/2005 - Himalayan
glaciers are among the fastest retreating
glaciers globally due to the effects of global
warming, and this will eventually result in
water shortages for hundreds of millions of
people who rely on glacier-dependent rivers
in China, India and Nepal, warns WWF, the
global conservation organization.
A new WWF report — An Overview of Glaciers,
Glacier Retreat and Subsequent Impacts in
Nepal, India and China — reveals the rate
of retreat of Himalayan glaciers accelerating
as global warming increases. The report states
that glaciers in the region are now receding
at an average rate of 10–15 metres per year.
“The rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers
will first increase the volume of water in
rivers, causing widespread flooding,” said
Jennifer Morgan, Director of WWF’s Global
Climate Change Programme. “But in a few decades
this situation will change and the water level
in rivers will decline, meaning massive economic
and environmental problems for people in western
China, Nepal and northern India.”
Himalayan glaciers feed into seven of Asia’s
greatest rivers (the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra,
Salween, Mekong, Yangtze and Huange He), ensuring
a year-round water supply to hundreds of millions
of people in the Indian subcontinent and China.
As glacier water flows dwindle, the energy
potential of hydroelectric power will decrease
causing problems for industry, while reduced
irrigation means lower crop production.
Nepal has an annual average temperature rise
of 0.06°C per year. The report shows that
three of Nepal’s snow-fed rivers have shown
declining trends in discharge. In China, the
report shows that Qinhai Plateau’s wetlands
have seen declining lake water levels, lake
shrinkage, the absence of water flow in rivers
and streams, and the degradation of swamp
wetlands. In India, the Gangotri glacier,
which supports one of India’s largest river
basins, is receding at an average rate of
23 metres per year.
The report is released on the eve of a two-day
ministerial roundtable of the 20 largest energy
using economies in the world, including China
and India, followed by a G8 meeting of development
and environment ministers focusing on climate
change and on Africa. Both meetings are hosted
by the UK government in London from 15-18
March. WWF has sent a letter to participating
ministers, stressing the need to recognize
climate change as an issue that seriously
threatens security and development prospects.
“Ministers should realize now that the world
faces an economic and development catastrophe
if the rate of global warming isn't reduced,"
said Jennifer Morgan. "They need to work
together on reducing CO2 emissions, increasing
the use of renewable energy and implementing
energy efficiency measures."
NOTES:
• In a letter to the Ministers of Environment,
Energy and Development attending the Ministerial
roundtable and the G8 meeting, WWF calls on
all governments to recognize that global average
temperature must stay below 2°C (3.6°F)
in comparison to pre-industrial levels, to
agree upon a series of ambitious initiatives
to vastly change the way their countries produce
and use energy, and to launch a power sector
governance initiative where all countries
commit to practicing the principles of transparency,
accountability and public participation in
energy sector decision-making. The letter
sent by WWF International to the Development
and Environment Ministers can be made available
on request.
• The countries participating in the ‘Energy
and Environment Ministerial Round Table’ include
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan,
Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and the
United States, as well a the European Union.
The countries underlined are part of the G8
group.
