Press release - October 15, 2005
BEIJING, China — Scientists say a catalogue of environmental damage linked to climate change is pushing the Yellow River source region into an ecological breakdown, in a new survey commissioned by Greenpeace.
Top Picture *Composite Picture - 1981 Halong Glacier, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. ©1981 – by courtesy of Professor Dr. Matthias Kuhle.
Bottom Picture - 2005 Halong Glacier, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
A Greenpeace team visited the Halong
Glaciers in the A’nyêmaqên Mountains, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, to document the retreating glaciers in the region. Greenpeace found during the past 30 years, the glaciers of the Yellow River source region have shrunk by 17%. This could leave the region without glaciers by the end of the century and is an alarming sign of climate impact on the source of China's mother river- the Yellow River.
The
study ‘Yellow River at Risk’, written by an Institute within the
Chinese Academy of Sciences describes a chain reaction of environmental
impacts, driven by increased temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau, which
threaten the source of the Yellow River (1). It concludes that the
widespread environmental decline is ultimately destroying the river
basin’s water holding capacity, drying out the region and cutting off
the lifeblood of the river.
Professor Liu Shiyin, the leading
author of the report, said: “Climate change is at the root of the
problem. Higher temperatures and drier climate due to global warming
are melting the glaciers and permafrost, draining the lakes and leading
to land degradation; from here it is a domino effect that harms the
flora, fauna, landscape and people of the Yellow River source region –
and ultimately the river itself.”
Greenpeace China Climate
Change Researcher, Li Mo Xuan said: “Climate change is wreaking havoc
at the birthplace of the China’s mother river. The plight of the Yellow
River is a grave warning. Millions of people are at risk from climate
change and the world must act now to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
If we are to avoid catastrophic climate change, there is not a moment
to lose.”
In the last 30 years, the region has lost 17% of its
glaciers and the rate of melting ice is now 10 times faster than it has
been for the previous 300 years. The Greenpeace study identifies
further problems linked to climate change including: dried lakes,
advancing deserts, subsidence from melted permafrost, soil erosion and
threatened species such as the Tibetan Lynx and Snow Leopard.
Due
to its particular hydrology, the Yellow River is very sensitive to even
small changes in its water supply. Over 120 million people rely on the
Yellow River ‘s water for domestic as well as agricultural and
industrial uses. The river’s source region plays the major role in
supplying the whole river basin, providing 55.6% of the water for the
length of the river above the city of Lanzhou, about 550 km from the
Yellow River’s source.
Professor Liu said, “Water shortage and
reduced runoff at the source will have far-reaching impacts upon the
economy, society and people’s life, not only in the source region, but
in the middle and low reaches of the Yellow River.”
Greenpeace
is an independent campaigning organisation that uses non-violent
creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems to force
solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
Contact information
Li Mo Xuan, Greenpeace Climate Campaigner and expedition leader: + 86 1501166821
Natalia Truchi,Greenpeace International Media Officer: + 86 13910098563
For further information, contact
Photos of climate change effects on the Tibetan Plateau (including historical and present day glacial retreat comparisons) captured during the expedition are available from John Novis, Greenpeace International Photo Editor +31 653 81 91 21
The study ‘Yellow River at Risk’ can be found at www.yellowriversource.org
Notes to Editor
(1) In June 2005, Greenpeace led an expedition to the Tibetan Plateau to document the climate change impacts identified in the study. This qualitative investigation reinforced the scientists’ findings with extensive documentary evidence.