Key points
- 7,000 smaller glaciers have vanished completely
- Largest loss of glaciers occurred in past three years: UNESCO
- China’s glaciers are primarily located in the west and north
ISLAMABAD: China’s glacier area has diminished by 26 per cent since 1960 due to rapid global warming, with 7,000 smaller glaciers vanishing completely and glacial retreat accelerating in recent years, according to official data released in March.
Glaciers worldwide are disappearing faster than ever, with the largest recorded loss of glacial mass occurring in the past three years, as noted in a UNESCO report, according to CNN.
As these crucial water sources continue to shrink, a reduced availability of freshwater is expected to lead to heightened competition for water resources, environmental groups have warned. The retreat of glaciers also presents new disaster risks.
China’s glaciers are primarily located in the west and north of the country, in regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, and Qinghai.
Total glacial area
Data published on 21st March by the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that China’s total glacier area was approximately 46,000 square kilometres, with around 69,000 glaciers in 2020.
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This contrasts with around 59,000 square kilometres and approximately 46,000 glaciers between 1960 and 1980, the study showed.
To preserve its shrinking glaciers, China has employed technologies such as snow blankets and artificial snow systems to slow the melting process.
World’s Third Pole
The Tibetan Plateau, often referred to as the world’s Third Pole due to the vast amount of ice it holds in its high-altitude wilderness, is also witnessing significant ice loss.
The dramatic loss of ice, from the Arctic to the Alps and from South America to the Tibetan Plateau, is expected to intensify as climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, raises global temperatures, according to Reuters.
This is likely to worsen economic, environmental, and social challenges across the world as sea levels rise and these vital water sources dwindle, according to the UNESCO report.
