No snow here, no snow there
“This is a concern for over a billion human lives,” the Dalai Lama said in 2015.
The spiritual leader called for people globally to listen and act upon such an immoral, shameful and dismissive topic.
No, this time it luckily wasn't terrorism.
About 7,600 square kilometers of glacier in the Tibetan Plateau (about 18% of the total) has disappeared since the 1950s. The gleaming "roof of the world" retreats at an average of 247 square kilometers annually. My calculations tell me that this means it will all be gone in less than 200 years, with the primary cause still being climate change. However, this is assuming temperatures will stay as they are now and we all know that temperatures are destined to reach 5'C above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century and we are only beginning to see a 1.5'C increase this year.
The Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders said two-thirds of the glaciers in their country may disappear by 2050 because of climate change.
Nothing but stones and dark rock will be seen, reducing the albedo (reflectivity) of the land, accelerating global warming again. 12,300 million tons of carbon could be released into the air as the permafrost melts.
“When I lived in Lhasa, it was very rare that people could walk outside in T-shirts,” said the man, who asked that his name be withheld. “Now people are walking in shorts!” - US based Tibetan.
How does this threaten human civilisations though? The threat of avalanches will disappear, yes, but so does biodiversity, grasslands and don't forget the 10 million rivers that provide fresh water to more than 1 bn people in Asia.
We all know about the scarcity of clean water in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh already but now it becomes even tougher.
A former researcher of Tibetan Plateau climate change for the Chinese Academy of Science, said diminished glacial runoff had already reduced water levels on the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. Conflict may arise from such a vital resource. In the great scheme of things, it's all down to us and we can stop this.
I do go on and on about the global rise in temperature but the Tibetan leaders say that the temperature rise in Tibet is even higher. Our actions risk everything. Living nature, Earth's structure, and even us.
I talk of this now because this is an issue, a responsibility of humanity, that has been pushed aside. Tossed away in a newspaper (recycling) bin. The headlines have been uttered and slipped away, whilst the devastating effects continue to creep on and grow increasingly close to reality for our world.
We just can't let it continue on.
Be merry - it's Christmas!
What a beautiful time of year! Break free from your daily routines and share a day full of joy and splendour.
But when the snow doesn't fall and jumpers must turn to T-shirts, will you think again about heating your home? And will you spare a thought for those who live in a desolate land & have no say in their own future? No say in how we treat our future. Life's finite future.
H _ M
:)
Bibliography:
https://in.news.yahoo.com/video/dalai-lama-exiled-tibetan-leaders-043200326.html
http://www.voanews.com/a/melting-tibet-could-threaten-billions-of-people/3075426.html
The spiritual leader called for people globally to listen and act upon such an immoral, shameful and dismissive topic.
No, this time it luckily wasn't terrorism.
About 7,600 square kilometers of glacier in the Tibetan Plateau (about 18% of the total) has disappeared since the 1950s. The gleaming "roof of the world" retreats at an average of 247 square kilometers annually. My calculations tell me that this means it will all be gone in less than 200 years, with the primary cause still being climate change. However, this is assuming temperatures will stay as they are now and we all know that temperatures are destined to reach 5'C above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century and we are only beginning to see a 1.5'C increase this year.
The Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders said two-thirds of the glaciers in their country may disappear by 2050 because of climate change.
Nothing but stones and dark rock will be seen, reducing the albedo (reflectivity) of the land, accelerating global warming again. 12,300 million tons of carbon could be released into the air as the permafrost melts.
“When I lived in Lhasa, it was very rare that people could walk outside in T-shirts,” said the man, who asked that his name be withheld. “Now people are walking in shorts!” - US based Tibetan.
How does this threaten human civilisations though? The threat of avalanches will disappear, yes, but so does biodiversity, grasslands and don't forget the 10 million rivers that provide fresh water to more than 1 bn people in Asia.
We all know about the scarcity of clean water in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh already but now it becomes even tougher.
A former researcher of Tibetan Plateau climate change for the Chinese Academy of Science, said diminished glacial runoff had already reduced water levels on the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. Conflict may arise from such a vital resource. In the great scheme of things, it's all down to us and we can stop this.
I do go on and on about the global rise in temperature but the Tibetan leaders say that the temperature rise in Tibet is even higher. Our actions risk everything. Living nature, Earth's structure, and even us.
I talk of this now because this is an issue, a responsibility of humanity, that has been pushed aside. Tossed away in a newspaper (recycling) bin. The headlines have been uttered and slipped away, whilst the devastating effects continue to creep on and grow increasingly close to reality for our world.
We just can't let it continue on.
Be merry - it's Christmas!
What a beautiful time of year! Break free from your daily routines and share a day full of joy and splendour.
But when the snow doesn't fall and jumpers must turn to T-shirts, will you think again about heating your home? And will you spare a thought for those who live in a desolate land & have no say in their own future? No say in how we treat our future. Life's finite future.
H _ M
:)
Bibliography:
https://in.news.yahoo.com/video/dalai-lama-exiled-tibetan-leaders-043200326.html
http://www.voanews.com/a/melting-tibet-could-threaten-billions-of-people/3075426.html
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