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Climate ChangeImpacts on the Tibetan Plateau

We live in an increasingly interdependent world where everyone has a responsibility to be a good global citizen. Climate change is a prime example of the interdependence of all

peoples and the need for cooperative action guided by intelligence and compassion.

accelerating rate. The major cause is the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. If current trends continue, global warming will severely damage the environment and cause widespread human suffering, especially among those who have done the least to create the problem, the poor and disadvantaged in developing countries.

This little booklet provides an introduction to global warming and its dangers with special reference to the Tibetan Plateau and its people. It explains why the climate change taking place in Tibet poses a serious threat to the environment and welfare of hundreds of millions of people living in many different regions of Asia.

What is happening on the Tibetan Plateau is part of a global problem that involves us all and

doing our part to advance the transition to a clean energy economy and a just, sustainable and peaceful world.

~ STEVEN C. ROCKEFELLER

Table of Contents

Climate and the Greenhouse Effect 1

The Carbon Cycle 2

Climate and the Water Cycle 3

A Changing Climate 4

Global Impact of Climate Change 6

The Water Towers of Asia 10

The Impact of Climate Change on the Tibetan Plateau 12

GLACIERS 12

PERMAFROST 14

FORESTS 15

GRASSLANDS 16

WETLANDS 17

THE MONSOON CYCLE 18

Mitigation and Adaptation on the Tibetan Plateau 19

How You Can Make a Difference 21

Inspiration 24

Further Resources 28

Acknowledgements 29

Endnotes 30

Bibliography 32

Climate and the Greenhouse Effect Gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap heat from the sun and keep the surface of the planet warm enough to support life. Carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases are the products of Earth’s natural cycles. Over the past 200 years human activity has contributed to an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The increase of greenhouse gases is directly linked to rising global temperatures and climate change.

EARTH’S SURFACE

ATMOSPHERE

SUN

Some heat energy is reflected into space by the land, water and atmosphere

Heat passing through the atmosphere into space

Heat trapped by greenhouse gases

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Heat energy (sunlight)is absorbed by Earth’s surface and keeps it warm

SUNLIGHT

Photosynthesis

Decaying organisms

Root respiration

Animal respiration

Plant respiration

Auto and factory emissions

Ocean uptake of carbonDead organisms and waste products

Organic carbon

THE CARBON CYCLE Carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere when coal, oil and gas are burned. The more fossil fuel energy we use the more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent human generated greenhouse gas, and it lasts longer in the atmosphere than most other greenhouse gases. The burning of fossil fuels is upsetting the natural balance of the carbon cycle and is the single greatest contributor to climate change.

The Carbon CycleCarbon, a common element found in most life forms, moves in a natural cycle between the land, water and atmosphere. When plants and animals die carbon returns to the natural cycle where it is deposited in Earth’s soil. Over the span of millions of years carbon is transformed into fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

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Climate and the Water CycleWater is the most precious resource on Earth because it sustains life and helps tie together Earth’s lands, oceans, and atmosphere into an integrated ecological system.

The water cycle is powered by energy from the sun and is a continuous exchange of moisture between the oceans, the lands, and the atmosphere. Water circulates from clouds to mountains to oceans where it then evaporates and travels back to the clouds. In the process of evaporation, water takes up energy from the surrounding area and cools the environment.

THE WATER CYCLESUN

CLOUDS

RAIN

Evaporation

EvaporationSNOW

MOUNTAIN

OCEAN

Many factors, including global warming, influence the patterns of the water cycle, and the water cycle is the primary determinant of Earth’s climate. The impacts of climate change occur to a large extent through changes in the water cycle. Droughts, floods, and the melting of glaciers leading to sea level rise are examples.

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A Changing ClimateThe natural climate of the world varies in a way that is similar to seasonal changes.

Scientific research indicates that during the last century an increase in burning of fossil fuels has altered the state of the global atmosphere. There is now a higher amount of carbon dioxide and methane floating in the atmosphere.

Before the 19th century Industrial Revolution1 there was 280 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Today, there is approximately 380 ppm of carbon dioxide.

When all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions are included, the result is equivalent to 430 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.2

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise steadily due to population growth and economic development that is now occurring in even the most remote corners of Earth.

Unless action is taken by individuals, communities, governments and corporations to reduce greenhouse emissions, concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could reach unprecedented levels by 2050 that will have severe and possibly irreversible negative impacts on Earth’s biosphere.

As greenhouse gases increase in the atmosphere, Earth becomes warmer, which leads to an unstable climate that threatens ecosystems, water systems, weather patterns, food security, and human health.

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Over the past 100 years, Earth’s average global temperature increased by 0.74 degrees Celsius.3 Depending on how and to what degree greenhouse gas emissions can be curbed, scientists estimate that the global average temperature could rise by as much as 4 degrees Celsius within this century.

There is wide consensus among scientists, government leaders, and corporate leaders that 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) is the maximum that global temperatures can rise if the most harmful effects of climate change are to be averted in the future.

Leading scientists in the field of climate change have also identified climate stabilization levels for carbon emissions that will keep global temperature increases at a relatively safe level and thereby minimize the most disruptive and damaging effects of climate change. In this regard, many scientists warn that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide should not exceed 350 ppm.

Since this level has already been exceeded, Earth is at a dangerous tipping point. If current trends are not reversed, projections indicate that Earth may reach levels beyond 480 ppm.

All nations and peoples need to cooperate in caring for Earth’s biosphere or collectively we will face serious, irreversible environmental impacts. Governments, corporations and communities must act decisively to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. As individuals we must be mindful about reducing our personal carbon footprint. We should also hold accountable the largest emitters of carbon and demand that they reduce their carbon footprint and help build a clean energy economy.

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Photo by Daniel J. Cox

Global Impact of Climate Change Scientists have identified a number of tipping points in natural processes caused by climate change, which have the potential to accelerate climate change. Once a tipping point is reached, there is no reversing the advance of the process or halting the chain reactions it precipitates.4

On average, Earth now endures more than four hundred weather-related disasters each year, more than twice as many as just two decades ago.5 The increased frequency and severity of weather-related disasters, such as floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, landslides, and windstorms, is directly linked to climate change. The increase in El Niño, a warming climate pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean, and changes to the summer monsoon in India are tipping elements, because they involve major changes in weather patterns, creating widespread droughts, especially in Southeast Asia.6

The vanishing of Arctic summer sea ice is another example of a climate tipping element, leading to a tipping point. Arctic sea ice acts as a regulator of global temperature, ocean currents, and ocean levels. In the Arctic, temperatures are rising faster than in most other regions, and the summer sea ice is now rapidly receding. The loss of Arctic summer sea ice may impact the average global temperature, change ecosystems, and alter the ocean, which covers over 70% of Earth’s surface.

The melting of the Greenland ice sheet could cause the global sea level to rise up to seven meters. The collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet would cause the global sea to rise five meters.7

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Mt. Everest region, Nepal. Imja Tsho is a glacial lake that began forming in the 1960s from glacial melt water. There is no plan in place to manage its outburst. The flooding would devastate the Khumbu region in Nepal and perhaps impact areas as far away as India.

These events would create coastal flooding and threaten coastlines and coastal cities worldwide. The Maldives and other South Pacific islands are planning long-term strategies to move their populations as rising sea levels have already submerged parts of their island nations.

Most of the world’s glaciers are melting (retreating) at unprecedented rates. The majority of Himalayan and other Asian glaciers that have been surveyed are in retreat and/or thinning. Rapid glacial melt alters the flow of rivers and forms glacial lakes, which are unstable and prone to collapse.

Glaciers are a water bank. They release water gradually throughout the year. If the Himalayan glaciers continue to melt rapidly the water supply for hundreds of millions of people in South and Southeast Asia will be threatened. Water shortages will impact food security and health for a large portion of humanity in a short period of time.

The global impact of climate change illustrates the interdependence of humanity and Earth’s ecological systems. Climate change is not only an issue of environmental significance as it directly impacts society, culture and economic systems.

Species and ecosystems around the globe face great risk from unsustainable development. A rapidly changing climate intensifies the stress on ecosystems and species, making it harder for them to adapt and survive.

Wildlife, wild lands and cultural and spiritual sites face significant threats from flooding, landslides, and other natural disasters related to climate change.

The Tibetan Plateau has one of the most intact grasslands in the world and is home to endangered and endemic wildlife species, including the snow leopard, brown bear, migratory wild yak, kiang or wild ass, chiru or Tibetan antelope, gazelle, blue sheep and argali.8 All are vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

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Photos by Daniel J. Cox

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This center of heaven

This core of the earth

This heart of the world fenced round by snow

The headland of all rivers

Where the mountains are high

and the land is pure. ~ EIGHTH CENTURY TIBETAN POEM

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Cirlce of Blue

The Water Towers of Asia At an average elevation of 4,000 meters (14,000 feet) above sea level, and covering 2.5 million square kilometers, the Tibetan Plateau is comparable in size to Western Europe and makes up one quarter of the total area of China.

The Tibetan Plateau is known as The Third Pole because the glaciers of Central and South Asia, including Tibet, hold the largest reserves of glacier ice outside of Antarctica, Greenland, and Canada.

The Tibetan glaciers account for up to seventy percent of the glacial coverage in the Himalayas.9 These glaciers are the water towers of Asia, which form the source of seven of Asia’s major rivers, including the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), Sengye Khabab (Indus), Langchen Khabab (Sutlej), Ngochu (Salween), Drichu (Yangtze), Machu (Yellow) and Zachu (Mekong). They all originate on the Tibetan Plateau. Today, more than 1.3 billion people rely on water from the Tibetan Plateau for their livelihoods and health.

The impacts of climate change on the Tibetan Plateau are extremely complex. Scientific research indicates that the Plateau is warming two times faster than Earth as a whole. Since the 1970s the temperatures have been steadily rising at unprecedented rates and most scientists attribute this to greenhouse gas emissions.10

The implications of climatic warming for Tibet’s ecosystems, wildlife, nomads, and economic development are enormous. The water resources of Tibet are vital for China and Southeast Asia.

Greater attention needs to be focused on addressing the challenges created by climate change on the Tibetan Plateau, which will only grow in magnitude and severity in coming decades.11 Special consideration and efforts by government, civil society, and the corporate sector are urgently needed to develop effective policies to protect the ecosystems and skillfully manage the precious water resources of the Plateau.

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Photo by Daniel J. Cox

The Impact of Climate Change on the Tibetan PlateauG L A C I E R SAs the Tibetan Plateau continues to warm, the glaciers of Tibet are receding at an unprecedented rate. Over the last fifty years, the climate of Tibet has been warming 0.02 - 0.03 degrees Celsius per year. The global average in the last one hundred years is a rise of .74 degrees Celsius.12 With the rising temperature, the glacial coverage of the Himalayas will decrease and lead to increased variability in water flows for the glacier-fed rivers.13 Since 1950 there has been no net accumulation of snow, which means the glaciers are losing their mass from the surface down.14

In the short-term, the melting of glacier mass results in an increase in water availability, but long-term it will lead to a decrease in water resources. Another result of glacial runoff is the formation of glacial lakes, which are prone to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). GLOFs create flash floods that can destroy whole villages as well as agricultural and herding lands.

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1921, West Rongbuk Glacier, northern slope of Mt. Everest, 29,028 ft., Tibet.

Royal Geographical Society

2008, West Rongbuk Glacier, northern slope of Mt. Everest, 29,028 ft., Tibet.

David Breashears/GlacierWorks

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P E R M A F R O S T Permafrost is the frozen layer of Earth that holds water near the surface of soil, providing moisture to the meadows and other vegetation above ground.

The permafrost of the Tibetan Plateau is very unique, because the extreme elevation and harsh climatic conditions of the region produced the highest and largest permafrost region on Earth. The permafrost zones of the Tibetan Plateau have a total area of 1,401,000 km2, or 54.3% of the Plateau’s total area, with seasonally frozen ground distributed over much of the rest of the region.15 On the Tibetan Plateau, the areas covered by permafrost are significantly larger than those covered by the glaciers or perennial snow.16

With rising temperatures and intensifying evaporation, the permafrost is sinking and thinning, which is also causing water to infiltrate deeper into the ground. This decreases the moisture available for vegetation.

In some cases, this dynamic relationship has turned pastures and mountains into sandy deserts. Lakes and rivers have shrunk, affecting fish, gazelle and other endemic wildlife.17 The melting permafrost can also destabilize infrastructure, including buildings, roadways and railroads.

Scientists estimate that climate warming will have a large impact on the stability of permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau in coming decades. This will have tremendous consequences for the ecosystems, surface water resources, and economic development of the entire region.

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F O R E S T SThe forests of Southeast Tibet are the highest in the world, with a tree-line altitude of 4,600 meters (15,092 feet) above sea level. The forests are a global repository of rich biodiversity that support vital ecosystems. Ninety percent of the Tibetan Plateau’s 5,700 plant species thrive in these forests.18

Forests play a crucial role in safeguarding watersheds and river flow, impact both the local and remote climate, and act as a carbon sink. Deforestation increases the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

Forest ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau are on the decline for several reasons. The fluctuations in global climatic patterns and human impacts negatively effect Tibetan forests. However, ecological conditions are an important factor regarding the extent and permanence of human impact. In areas with drier and colder conditions, forest ecosystems have a more difficult time regenerating after large-scale logging, and thus deforestation is relatively quickly accomplished.19 In moister and warmer areas, which are more conducive to forest growth, forest self-regeneration is more viable.20

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G R A S S L A N D SComprising eighty-two million hectares, the Tibetan Plateau has one of the largest grassland ecosystems in the world.21 The grasslands are located throughout the Plateau and occur within the headwaters of Asia’s six major rivers. The grasslands play a significant role in carbon production and sequestration.22 Ecological changes occurring in the grasslands directly impact Asia’s water systems.

The grasslands have experienced an unprecedented loss of habitat and biodiversity.23 They are experiencing dramatic, negative changes due to rapid development, mining, hydro-power, fencing, and resettlement projects. The fencing and sedentarization of nomads intensifies the degradation of the grasslands as it disrupts sustainable management practices in use for over nine centuries. Degradation of grassland is being greatly exacerbated by regional climate change, and reduced grassland productivity resulting from climate change will adversely affect the livelihoods of Tibetan nomadic herders.24

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W E T L A N D SWetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth and have a large capacity to act as carbon sinks.25 The wetlands of the Tibetan Plateau play an important role in water storage, water quality and the regulation of water flow. They also support biodiversity and foster vegetation growth.26

There are various types of wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau, including wet meadow, river source area, and lake type wetlands, which are all dominated by extremely sensitive, low productivity, high altitude ecosystems that are slow to repair themselves when damaged.27

In the arid interior of the Plateau, the wetlands are an oasis of high biodiversity, surrounded by high altitude grasslands. Well-watered meadows surrounding the wetlands are a vital economic resource for the nomadic livestock herders of the Tibetan Plateau. They also are a source of freshwater for agriculture and power generation for millions of people downstream.28 Wetlands are under threat due to a combination of factors.

In many Tibetan regions, development needs and the increase in population combined with climate change are factors accelerating the rate at which natural wetlands vanish. The drying up of wetlands is believed to be the result of climate change, which is contributing to decreased precipitation, increased evaporation, the melt off of river source glaciers and the degradation of permafrost. 29

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T H E M O N S O O N C Y C L EThe monsoon dominates the climate in South and Southeast Asia.

The monsoon rainfall pattern is attributable to the presence of the Himalayas. These high mountain ranges intercept cold winds from the north and trap moisture from the winds rising from oceans in the south.30

The Tibetan Plateau plays an important role in the atmospheric circulation in Asia, because it is linked directly to regional weather and climate conditions, such as the temperature, precipitation, and status of the monsoon.31

The acceleration of climate change on the Tibetan Plateau is increasing the moisture in the atmosphere, which influences the monsoon cycle, causing it to be more intense, spontaneous, and of a shorter duration.32 The dry season will become more arid, and the rainy season will see higher precipitation levels within shorter time intervals, leading to floods that overwhelm infrastructure and damage crops.33

An illustration of this impact is the 2010 flood that devastated Pakistan. This event has been attributed to warming climate patterns according to local and global experts. Due to the decrease in ice thickness over the Tibetan Plateau and changing precipitation patterns, there is less snow and more rapid runoff from mountains. The monsoon is augmented by the increased melting of ice from the Himalayan glaciers.34 As a result, the monsoon rains are more intense and there is an increase in destructive flooding events.

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Mitigation and Adaptation on the Tibetan Plateau The growing impact of global climate change on the Tibetan Plateau’s glaciers, permafrost, forests, grasslands and wetlands is an urgent issue for all Tibetans and for the 1.3 billion people who depend on the water resources of the Plateau. Climate change is already complicating efforts to improve livelihoods and promote sustainable economic development in Tibetan regions.

If the most dangerous consequences of global warming for the Tibetan Plateau are to be averted, the world community must act without delay to mitigate global warming by drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The widely accepted goal is to prevent average global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, but the window of opportunity for achieving this may soon close.

Industrialized nations have a responsibility to lead the way on climate change mitigation. However, involvement of local Tibetans and Himalayan communities, who are knowledgeable and resourceful stewards of the land need to be included in dialogues on mitigation strategies and policies. It is critical that special consideration is given to development and environmental policies in the region due to the uniqueness and importance of the Tibetan Plateau’s environment and water systems.

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The Tibetan people face the enormous challenges to adapt to the impacts of climate change that cannot be reversed or prevented in the future. There is an urgent need to develop effective climate adaptation strategies that include development planning for alternative future climate scenarios.36 The Tibetan people have not caused the climate change that is transforming their world. It is in humanity’s best

interest to support and promote climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies on the Tibetan Plateau with participation of the local people. Our global future depends on it.

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How You Can Make A DifferenceAll of these steps help the environment, are healthy for you and save money.

R E D U C E ~ Save electricity by washing your clothes with cold water

and air-drying when possible~ Save electricity by changing a light bulb to a CFL or LED bulb~ Wear a sweater and lower your thermostat by 2 degrees ~ Insulate your home~ Conserve water, take shorter showers~ Use green energy and green technology, pay attention to the

Energy Star label on electronics and appliances ~ Turn off and unplug electronics and appliances, even if they are

on standby mode

R E U S E~ Use your own shopping bag~ Bring your own mug and water bottle

R E C Y C L E ~ Recycle metal, plastic, glass and newspaper~ Say no to Styrofoam and plastic bags because they are hard to recycle~ Recycle old electronics, equipment and materials

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F O O D~ Shop locally for produce and goods. To reach your plate, a typical meal travels roughly 22,000 miles,

which creates 4 to 17 times as much greenhouse gas emissions as a locally sourced one.36

~ Eat less meat if it is not local, wild or free range. One pound of meat requires eight-times as much energy to produce compared to one pound of vegetable protein. Eighteen percent of total emissions are due to livestock production. A United Nations report states that the livestock sector is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors” to global warming.37

T R A N S P O R T A T I O N~ Use public transportation, bike, or walk when possible ~ Keep your car tires properly inflated~ Fly direct whenever possible. Take trains for shorter trips

O T H E R H E L P F U L S T E P S~ Plant trees and flowers to absorb carbon dioxide ~ Bamboo stores more carbon dioxide

and generates 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees.38

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L O C A L & G L O B A L E N G A G E M E N T~ Educate your friends, family, and community about climate change and what they can do to help~ Vote for politicians who are committed to the environment ~ Write a letter to your government representatives, mayor, or governor to express your concern about

climate change and urge them to take action and support global action on climate change~ Encourage political support for a binding international treaty on climate change that leads to

coordinated action on the part of state and local governments ~ Encourage support for The Earth Charter, http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/~ Write the CEO, president or manager of corporations to urge them to create a sustainable energy-

conservation plan and be socially and environmentally responsible. This is very powerful if you are a customer or investor in a company.

~ Volunteer with an environmental organization

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“ The Tibetan Plateau and Himalayan region is not only rich in water and natural resources but also in culture. Development in the region needs to be done with local community involvement to ensure it is sustainable, protects the fragile ecology and reduces the impact of climate change.

~ MONICA GARRY, FOUNDER AND CEO,

THE BRIDGE FUND

OF ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS

“ Climate change affects all of us, wherever we live. It undermines the livelihoods of poor people who have no responsibility for causing the problem. We have many reasons to protect the most vulnerable from climate change, not least because we are part of a global society, are all highly interdependent, and need to promote sustainable development for all. A just response to

climate change is something I passionately believe in.”~ MARY ROBINSON, PRESIDENT OF THE MARY ROBINSON

FOUNDATION - CLIMATE JUSTICE Seventh President of Ireland, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,

and a member of The Elders

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“ Understandably, the issue of climate change cannot compete with any urgent weather events upon us like the past Hurricane Irene,

in human history. These precious fresh water reserves are disappearing much more quickly than we’d hope and certainly more so than we could pull our act together to effectively deal with this crisis. We all hope, however, that we could soon wake up to the alarm,

~ MICHAEL ZHAO, CHINA GREEN | CENTER ON U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS | ASIA SOCIETY Editor, producer of China Green, with a focus on web documentaries about environmental issues in China

“ We have a moral responsibility to protect the cultures and ecologies of the great Himalayan range and Tibetan Plateau. It is not a matter of sentimentality but in fact of survival of cultures and species. When we consider the

of the Mekong effecting millions of people and their way

in the world, we have to step back, discern deeply, and take responsibility on the personal level as well as the policy level to safeguard this fragile and vital region of our earth.”

~ ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX, UPAYA ZEN CENTER Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, author, activist, ecologist, and caregiver

“ I have had the opportunity to grow up and spend my life in the ocean. Whether or not you live on the shoreline or in a city the ocean is connected to the global environment. 96.5% of the planet’s water is found in the ocean, and with a changing climate the health of this fragile resource is at stake. As the ocean temperature rises the implications are vast. Ultimately, harming the ocean is like harming ourselves. I believe in the interconnectedness of us all - to each other, to the water, to the land. It is my goal and dream to teach my children’s generation how to be stewards

of this planet.”~ LAIRD HAMILTON

Big-wave surfer, athlete, speaker, and author

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“ As an artist I am trying to articulate that humans are not separate from nature, that everything is interconnected and has a life force. Things are always changing; just over the past ten years I have seen dramatic change. What I would really like to focus on and point out is that our

culture needs to change before our climate can.”~ CAMILLE SEAMAN, CAMILLE SEAMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographer, with a focus on the fragile environment of the Polar Regions

are surrounded by ocean or at the foot of great glaciers, this issue affects and unites us all. As we deepen our understanding of the changes in the earth’s physiology and their implications for well-being, we are called upon to broaden our sense of

community, so that we might solve this problem-together.”~ JANE WALES, VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY AND SOCIETY, THE ASPEN INSTITUTE; PRESIDENT AND CEO

OF THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE GLOBAL PHILANTHROPY FORUM

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“ The loss of glaciers, frozen reservoirs of water, will have a huge impact in the Himalayas, as the glaciers provide seasonal

hundreds of millions of people with water. As the glaciers recede

once these ice reservoirs are spent, the water supply for a sprawling, overpopulated continent will be threatened, and the impacts on water resources and food security will be dire.” ~ DAVID BREASHEARS, GLACIERWORKS

Filmmaker, adventurer, author, mountaineer, and speaker

“ Climate Change is impacting all life on earth from the humans whose ignorance and carelessness is causing it to

all the other life forms on which people depend.”~ NANCY LEE NASH, BUDDHIST PERCEPTION OF NATURE

Environmentalist, conservationist, author, artist, and international coordinator

“ The water from the Tibetan Plateau sustains the lives of millions of people in Southeast Asia. It is of upmost importance to maintain the health of such a bountiful land. Having compassion and respect for the environment is one

solution for the world’s environmental problems.”~ DR. KRISADAWAN HONGLADAROM, THE THOUSAND STARS FOUNDATION

Author, Tibetan Buddhist practitioner, and meditation teacher

“ The Tibetan Plateau contains the largest remaining stores of frozen freshwater outside the polar regions. The 9,000+ glaciers of the

role in storing freshwater that melts and is released into the major rivers during the dry summer months, with direct consequences for hydropower, aquatic ecosystems, transportation and irrigation. Over half of the summer discharge from these rivers comes directly

recent warming trends of 0.76°Celsius per decade, the region is reaching a critical tipping option, for water, for ecosystems and for man.” ~ MICHÈLE KOPPES, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

Glaciologist and assistant professor

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FURTHER RESOURCES ~ Asia Society & China Green, www.sites.asiasociety.org/chinagreen~ Carbon Disclosure Project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA),

www.cdproject.net/en-US/Pages/HomePage.aspx~ Earth Charter International, www.earthcharter.org~ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch~ International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), www.icimod.org~ International Rivers, www.internationalrivers.org~ International Fund for China’s Environment, www.ifce.org~ United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, www.unfccc.int/2860.php~ United Nations Water, www.unwater.org~ The Stimson Center, www.stimson.org~ Surf Rider Foundation, www.surfrider.org~ Third Pole Environment, www.tpe.ac.cn~ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),

www.unesco.org/new/en~ United States Department of State, www.state.gov~ World Watch Institute, www.worldwatch.org~ World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/home-full.html

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Acknowledgements The following people made this report possible by providing technical, scientific, regional development data and reports, and editorial assistance:

Professor Steven RockefellerDr. Bill Bleisch David Breashears & Erin Anguish of Glacier WorksAndrew Davis J. Carl Ganter of Circle of BlueDaniel GarrettKunchok Gelek Dr. Ben Jiao Rigdrol JikarPema Kyi Dr. Richard A. Marston Hemanta MishraJamie OwenMatteo PistonoRaffaella Della PortaRockefeller Philanthropy AdvisorsSailhamo Samang Todd Stein Lobsang Tenzin

Dechen WangmoMelina WhiteThe Bridge Fund Board of Directors The Bridge Fund Advisory BoardThe Bridge Fund Staff

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Endnotes1 Industrial Revolution – The first Industrial Revolution occurred

in Europe and the United States during the late 18th century when manual labor, farming, and home made goods were transformed by machine and factory manufacturing by steam engines fuelled by coal. Many people moved from the countryside to cities during the industrial revolution for work. Urbanization led to economic growth but it also contributed to social and environmental problems, including increased pollution. In the late 19th century, the second industrial revolution occurred with the invention of the internal combustion engine, which powered vehicles such as cars and portable machinery and contributed to the development of electricity. The Industrial Revolution continues to affect development in most of the world through a process known as industrialization.

2 David De Rothschild, The Global Warming Survival Handbook (United Kingdom: Live Earth, 2007), 8.

3 Alice McKeown and Gary Gardner, “Climate Change Reference Guide,” State of the World (Washington DC: World Watch Institute, 2009), 4.

4 Ibid., 5.

5 Frances Beinecke and Bob Deans, Clean Energy Common Sense An American Call to Action on Global Climate Change (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010), 8.

6 McKeown and Gardner, Climate Change Reference Guide, 6.

7 Ibid., 6.

8 Dr. Wu Ning et al., Tibet’s Biodiversity: Conservation and Management (Lhasa: China Forestry Publishing House,1998), 1.

9 Leadership Group on Water Security in Asia, Asia’s Next Challenge: Securing the Region’s Water Future (New York: Asia Society, 2009), 33.

10 John D. Farrington, Impacts of Climate Change on the Yangtze Source Region and Adjacent Areas (Beijing: China Meteorological Press, 2009), 163.

11 Ibid., 89.

12 Ouyang Hua, “The Himalayas – water storage under threat,” ICIMOD Sustainable Mountain Development 56,(2009): 3.

13 Leadership Group on Water Security in Asia, Asia’s Next Challenge: Securing the Region’s Water Future, 33.

14 Orville Schell and Michael Zhao, “Origins of Rivers: Omens of a Crisis,” China Green, Asia Society, January 2009. http://sites.asiasociety.org/chinagreen/feature-origins-of-rivers/

15 Farrington, Impacts of Climate Change on the Yangtze Source Region and Adjacent Areas, 92.

16 Orville Schell and Michael Zhao, “Origins of Rivers: Omens of a Crisis,” China Green, Asia Society.

17 Ibid.

18 Dr. Wu Ning, et al., Tibet’s Biodiversity: Conservation and Management, 1.

19 Ibid., 63.

20 Ibid., 63.

21 Ibid., 94.

22 USAID, Tibet Environmental Analysis, 2003, 15. http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/documents/MillerUSAIDTibetenvironmentalanalysis.pdf

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23 Ibid., 11.

24 Farrington, Impacts of Climate Change on the Yangtze Source Region and Adjacent Areas, 162.

25 Carbon Sink – An area, most commonly forests and oceans, which are large enough to absorb important and noticeable amounts of carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere.

26 Celeste Harris, et al. “Himalayan Wetlands Initiative – conservation and wise use of natural water storage in the HKH region,” ICIMOD Sustainable Mountain Development 56, (2009): 22.

27 Farrington, Impacts of Climate Change on the Yangtze Source Region and Adjacent Areas, 43.

28 Ibid., 53.

29 Ibid., 41.

30 Surendra Singh, et al., “Rapid warming in the Himalayas: Ecosystem responses and development options,” Climate and Development 2, (2010): 222.

31 Jiahua Zhang, et al., “Evaluation of Grassland Dynamics in the Northern-Tibetan Plateau of China Using Remote Sensing and Climate Data,” Sensors 7, (2007): 3313.

32 Syed I. Hasnain, “The Himalayan Glaciers and Asia’s Looming Water Crisis” (event lecture, Asia Society, NewYork City, NY, July 14, 2010).

33 Leadership Group on Water Security in Asia, Asia’s Next Challenge: Securing the Region’s Water Future, 35.

34 Lester Brown, “The Himalayan/Tibetan Plateau Watersheds As a System-of-Systems at Risk” (event lecture, Global Systems Initiatives, Washington, DC, April 15, 2011).

35 Farrington, Impacts of Climate Change on the Yangtze Source Region and Adjacent Areas, 164.

36 Rothschild, The Global Warming Survival Handbook, 62.

37 Ibid., 66-67.

38 Ibid., 101.

h H32

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