Translated by Tashi Namgyal
Edited by Yangchen Tso
A report stated that global climate change had increased the level of rainfall and glacier meltwater on the Tibetan plateau, which may affect human habitat.
Recent reports have alarmingly stated that due to global warming, half of the world’s lakes, including those on the Tibetan plateau, are drying up. A report released by Nature Geoscience on 27 May 2024, warns that due to drastic climate change and excess rainfall, the surface area of lakes could expand, and by the end of this century, water levels could rise up to 10 meters (~33 feet). This could lead to significant land loss and severely impact human habitation.
According to research by Dr. Iestyn Woolway of Bangor University in the UK and his colleagues in China, Saudi Arabia, the USA, and France, the water level in land-locked lakes will increase fourfold by the end of this century. This land loss will affect agriculture, habitats, and infrastructure and lead to an unpredictable future.
Dr. Lestyn Woolway emphasized, “While climate change is making the Tibetan Plateau greener and more habitable, attracting more people to higher altitudes due to better access to water, the rising lake levels necessitate immediate planning and policies to mitigate impacts on the region’s ecology and population.”
