| Glaciers Melting on Himalayan scale.
Himalayan glaciers are retreating fast and could disappear within the 50 years, experts warned at a conference in Kathmandu looking at the effects of global warming.
The melting ice fields have also caused a dramatic increase in the number and size of glacial lakes that a.now risk bursting and devastating mountain communities,delegates at the conference said. |
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“If temperatures continue to rise as it is, then there will be no snow and ice in the Himalaya in 50 years time,” said Surendra Shrestha, the regional director for Untied Nations Environment Programme- Glaciers in the Himalay.
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Temperatures in the region have been increasing between 0.15 and 0.6 degrees Celsius per decade for the past 3 decades. The Imja Glacier just south of Mount Everest has been retreating at a rate of about 70 meters per year, with the melted water forming huge glacial lakes. |
In the 1950s, about 12 glacial lakes were recorded in Nepal. “When the inventory was done in 2000 there were 2,400 lakes in Nepal. Out of these lakes that are about to burst are about 14,” said Shrestha.
“If we were to have a very small earthquake, all that water is going to come down. The water is going to pick up debris and speed like a bulldozer wiping everything on its path when it comes down,” said Shrestha. He added that the result of the immediate reduction of the green house gases will be seen only after 100 years, so the focus should be to identify measures that would check the effect in immediate future.
Shrestha stressed on the need of integrating the issue of climate change in the national development plan.
The government is trying to mainstream the environment in its development plan, said Environment Minister Mahanta Thakur. “The theme of the World Environment Day 2007 – ‘Melting Ice: A Hot Topic’ is therefore very relevant to this region, he added.
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Raj Tamang
Founder
Responsible Adventures |
