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Climate Change Could Melt Himalayan Glaciers

 

Scientists have confirmed that, if climate goals are not achieved, up to two thirds of the glaciersin the Himalya region could melt due to climate change by 2100. But even if the global community does meet all climate goals about a third of Himalaya's glaciers are in danger of melting away. The recent report was compiled by hundreds of researchers over a five year period.

It comes to the conclusion that global warming increases the higher into the atmosphere you get. The Himalayas, therefore, representing the world's highest mountain range, could heat up by over 4°C, far more than the average warming of the planet, by the turn of the next century.

About 250 million people in the Himalayan region and an additional 1.5 billion in neighbouring river valleys depend on glaciers for clean water and energy. The melting of glaciers could result in the flooding of the Ganges, Indus and Mekong river plains. As a result, millions would lose farming fields and not be able to grow the crops they need.

 

 

Since the 1970s climataologists have witnessed the retreat of Himalaya's glaciers, but this is the first time that a warning has been issued.

In addition to melting glaciers, global warming has caused polluted air from China and India, which has led to changing rainfall patterns across the continent.

India's cities have experienced water shortages in the past years. About half of the country's population doesn't have enough clean water. As a result, about 200,000 people die of water-related diseases every year.

 

 

 

 

Words

  • achieve = reach
  • additional = extra
  • atmosphere = the mixture of gases that surrounds a planet
  • average = usual, normal
  • cause = lead to
  • century = a hundred years
  • climatologist = person who studies the climate and weather over a longer period of time
  • compile = put together
  • conclusion = final result
  • confirm = to have proof that something is true
  • crops = plants, like wheat or rice which farmers grow as food
  • depend on = need very much
  • due to = because of
  • experience = see when something happens
  • flooding = when land becomes covered with water
  • glacier = large mass of ice that moves slowly down a mountain valley
  • global community = all the people in the world
  • goal = something that you hope to achieve in the future
  • in addition = also
  • issue = to make an official statement
  • melt = turn to water
  • mountain range = group of mountains
  • rainfall patterns = where and when rain falls over a certain period of time
  • recent = only a short time ago
  • researcher = someone who studies a subject closely in order to find out more about it
  • retreat = when something moves back
  • river plains = flat area of land around rivers
  • scientist = a person who is trained in science and works in a laboratory
  • shortage = not enough of something
  • valley = area of low land between two mountains with a river flowing through it
  • water-related = here: because of water problems
  • witness = experience important events

 

 

 

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