Panoramic view over Everest glaciers.
Alarmingly high temperatures registered in the past years have convinced scientists that further efforts need to be made in order to protect the environment and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Otherwise, Everest glaciers will disappear by 2100, study reveals on Thursday morning.
Glaciers’ existence is now threatened by the increasingly higher temperatures that are registered each year, according to new weather reports released by the Meteorological Administration. Everest glaciers could be the next to disappear if new efforts are not being carried out to prevent climate changes.
Scientists from Nepal, France and Netherlands have joined forces to analyze the recent percentages of carbon emissions. They have estimated that 77-90 percent of the Himalayan ice could melt by the year 2100.
The data was collected from the image collection made available by satellites. By comparing the present values with previous data, the team of researchers has reached the conclusion that Everest glaciers have already sunk by one quarter and their meltdown still continues.
What frightens scientists the most, however, is the fact that the melting pace has become all the more rapid in the past years as a result of humans’ reckless behavior. The following decades could, therefore, witness the melting of great part of the glaciers if measures are not adopted.
The study has further shown that some Himalayan regions could be seriously affected by the increased levels of water ensuing from glaciers’ meltdown. Nepal and its surrounding areas is the country that will most likely have to put up with the consequences that ensue from the disappearance of the glaciers. The region is already facing major problems due to the scarce groundwater resources and rainfalls, but the situation could become a lot worse if Everest’s glaciers melt.
The study was for that matter conducted in the Dudh Kosi basin in the Nepal Himalayas, as scientists wanted to determine how populated areas will be affected by the upcoming glaciers’ meltdown. The prognosis is all the more worrisome as the biggest mountain peaks are located in the Dudh Kosi basin.
The 8,848-metre high Mt Everest, which represents the ultimate goal for extreme sport lovers taking up daring expeditions, is also located in the aforementioned basin. The Himalayan ice shelf encompasses 400 square kilometers of ice.
The results of the recent meteorological study will be published in the journal The Cryosphere.
Image Source: Cirian Net