HomeOfficial ReleaseEconomyEnvironmentSocietyCultureTravelReligion TibetologyComments White Papers The global warming has posed a significant threat to the environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. With its unique landforms, terrains and environmental features, the plateau is acclaimed as the paradise of wildlife and "the water tower of Asia." Restoration of the plateau's ecological balance will be a major challenge. In Tibet, the temperature has climbed an average 0.32 degrees Celsius every decade since records began in 1961. The impact of global warming has accelerated glacial shrinkage and the melting glaciers have swollen Tibet's lakes…In this case, China has been taking various measures to reduce the impacts of the global climatic change on the plateau. China likely to make breakthrough in tapping gas hydrates Tibet introduces program to handle climatic changes Tibet acts to cope with global warming effects  Qinghai Province controls desertification in Sanjiangyuan area Tibet calls for clean Mt. Qomolangma Tibet to spend 450 mln yuan on environmental protection Tibet turns 80,000 ha of farmland into woods   Seismic monitoring station to be built in Qomolangma area
Climate Change  Threat     The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is Earth's third largest store of ice after the South and North poles.     But that store is rapidly melting amid the onset of climate change.     It will affect the water supply for  up to a billion people and the atmospheric circulation for more than half the planet.  Video Warming threatens aquatic resources The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of the regions hardest hit by global warming, which will have direct and long-term effects on the aquatic animals living in this area. Melting glaciers "worrisome" Chinese scientists said Wednesday glaciers that serve as water sources on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau are melting at a "worrisome speed Rivers dry up According to researchers, 127 rivers flow into the Qinghai Lake, 57 of which have dried up.Rivers surrounding the Qinghai Lake serve as the major water source supplies to the lake. Rainfall pattern changes An analysis based on models provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted higher temperature rises and further changes Worsening desertification Desertified land, which currently covered 21.7 million hectares and accounted for 18 percent of Tibet's territory, was expanding 39,600 ha annually. Water pollution worsens According to the research, bacterial contamination was recorded in 13 percent water samples and one sample of mineral water. VIEWS  Photographer records ecology on Qinghai Plateau Tibet's eco-environment protection maintains sound momentum Tibet: in defense of ecological security Greening Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Qinghai-Tibet Railway: environment-friendly "sky-high road" Photographer's quest: for love of lens, life  Number of wildlife increases Number of birds by Qinghai Lake rises to 140,000 Wildlife in Hoh Xil increases in number due to effective anti-poaching Wild birds fly, rest in NW China as environment improves 310 endangered black storks migrate to wetland in Gansu Tibetan antelopes up to 150,000 due to effective conservation Number of Tibetan wild donkeys exceeds 60,000 in Ngari  Endangered gazelles better protected in Qinghai   Water source reserved China's eco-conservation efforts pay off at major river sources Qinghai Lake's water level continues rising for 5 years Qinghai Lake becomes "swan lake" China's "water tower" resumes functions Yellow River source, region of thousand lakes again   Woods coverage up Tibet's forest coverage hits 11.31% Tibet ranks first in China in area of nature reserves Forest protection project in Sanjiangyuan area pays off Maduo Prairie on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau returns to green Wetland at Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve under effective protection Eco-degradation curbed at Sanjiangyuan Forest area in Gansu Tibetan-inhabited area up  Lhasa's forest survival rate likely to hit 85% in drought year  Lhasa granted title of "Garden City" in Tibet   Sanjiangyuan's grassland area increases by 0.48% annually   Supporting Infrastructure improves Green line of Qinghai-Tibet Railway Geothermal monitoring system completed along Qinghai-Tibet Railway	Dreamy place for geologists It is high enough to take Europeans' breath away in astonishment. At an average altitude of nearly 5,000 m, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the highest of its kind in the world." Paradise of wildlife As the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, the Sanjiangyuan area is named "the water tower of China." Featuring China's largest inland lake Qinghai Lake is China's largest inland lake and its largest salt-water lake. It is one of the top five most beautiful lakes in China . Water supply for most Asians In the long run, glaciers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are vital lifelines for Asian rivers such as the Indus and the Ganges. Evidence for human history study Scientists have found through genetic studies that modern humans had colonized the Tibetan Plateau at least 21,000 years ago.  Central   Gov.      China unveils plan to preserve ecological safety in Tibet    China's State Council, or Cabinet, approved in Feburay a plan to protect the ecological environment in the Tibet Autonomous Region against the global climate change.  China puts 1 trillion yuan in ecological conservation  2.7 bln yuan invested in Sanjiangyuan eco-protection  China builds seismic station on Mt. Qomolangma  China destroys Tibetan antelope hides  China to make breakthrough in tapping gas hydrates   China allocates 200 mln yuan for Tibet's grassland  China aims to curb pasture degradation in Tibet    Local  Gov.       Tibet Autonomous Region Tibet acts to cope with global warming effects Administration set up for Lhasa Lhalu Wetland Tibet quadruples meteorological monitoring ability Tibet introduces program to handle climatic changes Weather stations set up along Qinghai-Tibet Railway Survey of Lhasa's wetland, nature reserves launched Tibet calls for clean Mt. Qomolangma Tibet launches anti-white-pollution campaign Tibet spends 3.2 bln yuan on environmental protection Glaciers on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to be monitored Tibet to spend 450 mln yuan on environment protection Tibet launches grassland eco-protection award system Tibet turns 80,000 ha of farmland into woods Automatic seismic monitoring station to be built in Qomolangma area     Qinghai Province Video monitoring to be available in HohXil Anti-poaching campaign launched in Hoh Xil Qinghai controls desertification in Sanjiangyuan Qinghai builds Tibetan gazelle breeding center Endangered gazelles better protected in Qinghai Geographical mark points chosen for Qinghai Lake Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Zoo opens in Qinghai Qinghai to build refuse disposal plant in Yangtze River headwater area Antelopes roam free thanks to hooded crusader Hashi Hashiis is a Tibetan who was recently named a Shanghai Expo Star for his crusading work. Tibetan girl's friendship with Tibetan antelopes Every time she went to the protection station, Bainco will dress up in festival costume and feed Tibetan antelopes with milk. American naturalist's story of Tibetan antelopes Driven by curiosity about the wildlife on the Qinghai Plateau, Schaller began research on the animal. Tibetan Buddhism lama devoted to enviornment protection  Lama Gelai Nyingma records with his camera the changes in the eco-environment in the Sanjiangyan Nature Reserve. U.S. nature expert: Tibet's biodiversity little known  "Tibet is one of the most innovative and successful conservation areas in the whole world," said Fleming.