Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Thursday 14 sepTember 2017

Study: Asia’s glaciers face massive melt from global warming

By FRANK JORDANS ence, though with some
Associated Press regional variations.”Even
BERLIN (AP) — Scientists say if temperatures stabilize at
one-third of the ice stored their current level, mass loss
in Asia’s glaciers will be lost will continue for decades
by the end of the century to come until a new equi-
even if the world manages librium is reached,” the re-
to meet its ambitious goal searchers said.
of keeping global warming Kraaijenbrink acknowl-
below 1.5 degrees Celsius, edged that a scenario in
affecting water supplies for which global warming re-
millions of people on the mains under 1.5 degrees
continent. Celsius is optimistic.
In a paper published “We are aware that more
Wednesday in the journal extreme, business-as-usual
Nature, researchers in the scenarios are possibly a
Netherlands also examined more likely future,” he said.
what would happen if av- In a comment published
erage global temperatures along with the study, J. Gra-
rise beyond 1.5 degrees ham Cogley of Trent Uni-
Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahr- versity in Canada said the
enheit) by the end of the researchers’ glacier model
century. They concluded “has some innovative fea-
that almost two-thirds of the In this Monday, Feb. 22, 2016 file photo, international trekkers pass through a glacier at the Mount tures that might raise eye-
ice in Asia’s glaciers could Everest base camp, Nepal. brows among glaciologists,
vanish, if no effort is made rivers originating in Asia’s two years ago, but experts already are losing mass but it is difficult to find fault
to curb climate change. high mountains, such as the say it would require a mas- except those in the Kun- with it as a pioneering ef-
“In regions where glacier Indus, Ganges and Brah- sive shift to the world econ- lun Mountains of western fort.”
melt water is an important maputra,” Kraaijenbrink omy. China. “The authors have shown
part of the river flow, the said. “In these basins, the In total, the researchers Taking into account the ef- that achieving the 1.5 Cel-
retreating glaciers can be- river water is used for irriga- compared 110 climate fect on melting levels of rub- sius target will conserve a
come a problem,” Philip tion of cropland, drinking simulations and found that ble covering some of the substantial fraction of Asia’s
Kraaijenbrink, a University water and for hydropower high mountain glaciers in glaciers, they concluded water resources and that, if
of Utrecht geographer who dams.” Asia tended to experience that the amount of ice lost we fail in this regard, we will
led the study, said. The 1.5-degree target was greater levels of warm- from Asian glaciers is almost pay in direct proportion to
“There are many people liv- set at the international cli- ing than the global aver- proportional to the amount the extent of the failure,”
ing in basins that have their mate conference in Paris age. All glaciers analyzed of warming they experi- Cogley said.q

Massachusetts study: Climate change threatens birds

LINCOLN, Mass. (AP) — mate change. 50 years, while some spe- black-capped chickadee, coastal nesting species, in-
A new report warns that The Mass Audubon State cies could disappear en- is among the 61 species cluding piping plovers and
more than 40 percent of of the Birds report released tirely. Another 15 percent considered “highly vulner- roseate terns, are in par-
the most common breed- this week says many of the of the birds looked at in the able” and could disappear ticular danger because of
ing species of birds in Mas- 143 species of birds in the study are considered “likely from eastern Massachu- greater erosion from storms
sachusetts are considered study could decline further vulnerable.” setts. of greater strength and
“highly vulnerable” to cli- in number in the next 30 to The state’s official bird, the Salt-marsh nesting and frequency.q