Further hard evidence of the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change has been provided this week by the United Nations Environment Programme, in its Global Outlook for Ice and Snow report. Alarmingly, it forecasts that up to 40 per cent of the world's population could be affected by loss of snow and glaciers on the Himalayas and other Asian mountain ranges, and that communities in the Andes, the Alps and the Pyrenées could also face serious problems with the availability of water supplies for drinking and farming.
And while some communities are already adapting to the early impacts of global warming, the report acknowledges that many indigenous peoples lack the financial resources and technology needed to adapt, while many parts of the world remain ill-prepared for the likely pace of change.
As in the world's polar regions, Asia's glaciers are melting faster than previously suspected. Recent expeditions to Mount Everest found a "dramatic" retreat of its glaciers, which provide a water source (along with rainfall) for the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, the Ganges and Mekong. Scientific research by the Chinese government has shown that the Tibet plateau is losing its glaciation at the rate of seven per cent per annum and that its Rongbuk glaciers have retreated by up to 230 metres (755ft) in the past 30 years. A report by Greenpeace also found global warming is speeding the retreat of glaciers, causing evaporation of glacial and snow run-off, and leaving dwindling rivers dangerously clogged with silt. The phenomenon clearly poses a serious long-term threat to water supplies and the livelihood of millions of people in China, India and the whole of southeast Asia.
Against this disturbing backdrop, it is encouraging that the Chinese government has finally produced a detailed policy document on how it plans to reduce China's greenhouse gas emissions, which are expected to outpace those of the US shortly. Although it does not include specific caps on the growth of emissions, a range of measures is proposed including the promotion of energy efficiency and cleaner technologies, such as wind and hydro-power. The stated aim is to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 billion tonnes by 2010 - roughly a quarter of what they are now.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that reducing Ireland's contribution to climate change is one of the key points being discussed in negotiations between Fianna Fáil and the Green Party on the formation of a new government. Though minuscule compared to China, a real effort must be made to cut our very high per capita emissions if we are to have any credibility in the world.