Glaciers are shrinking worldwide — some of them rapidly. Now Chinese researchers have sounded the alarm in their country too, where they say warmer weather and increased precipitation are reducing the size of glaciers. Water shortages and floods could result.
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Chinese scientists are not known for fearmongering, particularly when it comes to dangers that could affect large numbers of people. Officials frown upon news that could unsettle the masses — which makes this week’s publication by the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing all the more stunning.

According to the paper published this week in the British scientific journal Environmental Research Letters, climate change has had devastating affects on glaciers in the mountains of southwestern China. The region includes the Himalayas and other ranges that are part of the Tibetan highlands.

The research team led by Zongxing Li has observed ‘significant’ annual and seasonal warming trends, along with the ‘drastic retreat’ and ‘large mass loss’ of glaciers, which has led to an increase in the size of glacial lakes in the area, the paper said.

Their data showed that between 1970 and 2001, the Pengqu basin’s 999 glaciers lost a combined surface area of 131 square kilometers (51 square […]