Global Warming Melts Asian Glaciers

According to a recently-published study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it would appear that a large number of Asian glaciers are currently retreating due to rising global temperatures.

The finding could have disastrous consequences for millions of people who depend on Asian rivers for drinking water, irrigation systems and so on.

The glacier retreat could mean an increased incidence of floods and droughts in the area, the USGS team believes. Additionally, the water that is being released as the process takes place contributes to elevating sea levels around the world.

The investigation showed that the nations most at risk from suffering following glacier melt include the Russia Federation, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.

The work was conducted by a team of USGS scientists, who collaborated with 39 colleagues from universities and research organizations around the world.

“Of particular interest are the Himalaya, where glacier behavior impacts the quality of life of tens of millions of people,” explains USGS researcher and study team member Jane Ferrigno.

“Glaciers in the Himalaya are a major source of fresh water and supply meltwater to all of the rivers in northern India,” she explains.

What makes the situation disastrous is the fact that reduced amounts of runoff water from the glaciers threaten the very existence of people and crops downstream, especially in the summer months.

At this time, some of the desert regions in Asia are entirely reliant on glacier water for survival. Without it, people have to migrate in order to find water, just like in the very old days.

The reason why global warming promotes an increased incidence of floods is because glaciers begin unfreezing earlier during the spring months, releasing more water as they do.

This, combined with excessive precipitations during the spring season, causes runoff water to accumulate, setting the stage and conditions for the perfect flood to take place.

“This report was a collaboration between US and foreign authors, the most knowledgeable glaciologists for each geographic region covered,” explains Richard S. Williams, Jr.

“The USGS published historical and modern data authored by local experts. Some analyses of past climate conditions were conducted by studying ice cores from high-mountain areas of Asia,” adds the expert, who is also based at the USGS.