Study: High temperature increases the area of ​​lakes in Tibet

-
A study conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that the area of ​​lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has increased by 10,000 square kilometers over the past thirty years due to global warming.

China Daily indicates that, according to the expectations of Chinese scientists, even in the case of small emissions into the atmosphere, by the end of the current century, the area of ​​these lakes will increase by 20 thousand square kilometers, and this will lead to a rise in the water level in them by about 10 meters, and the weight of the water in them will be 652 billion. Tons. That is, it will quadruple compared to what it was 50 years ago.

According to Zhang Guoqing, a researcher at the Institute of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Studies under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, such expansion of lakes increases the risk of natural disasters and affects ecosystems and biodiversity. According to researcher Xu Fenglin, if emissions into the atmosphere are intense, the area of ​​lakes in the northern part of the plateau could double, and in the central part it could increase by 50 percent. This will also increase the volume of greenhouse gases, resulting in an acceleration of global warming.

According to official data, there are 60,000 lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, with an area of ​​50,000 square kilometers. It is equivalent to more than 50 percent of China's water area.