Qinghai-Xizang Plateau turning warmer, wetter, and greener, new scientific research shows

The glaciers and snow cover on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau are decreasing, while the vegetation is greening, according to Yao Tandong, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Yao made the remarks at the press conference of the second Qinghai-Xizang Plateau scientific expedition and research in Lhasa on Sunday. Initiated in 2017, the mission intended to reveal the mechanism of environmental change and provide scientific support for the ecological security of the plateau.

According to its new discoveries, the plateau is becoming warmer, wetter and greener.

"Such changes could lead to significant shifts in the Asian monsoon circulation, potentially increasing the frequency of extreme weather events in China," said Yao, who is also the leader of this scientific research survey.

Known as Asia's "water tower," the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is a critical water resource reservoir, exerting a profound influence on regional and even global water cycles and ecosystems.

Due to the warming climate and increased humidity, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau has seen evident imbalances in recent years, according to Yao. For example, solid water bodies, such as glaciers and snow, are shrinking rapidly, while liquid water bodies like lakes and rivers are expanding.

According to the survey's findings, the current total surface water storage of Asia's "water tower" exceeds 10 trillion cubic meters, roughly equivalent to the total runoff of the Yellow River over 200 years.

Climate models predict that by the end of the 21st century, some regions may lose more than half of their glacier mass, with lake water levels potentially rising by over 10 meters, according to the presser.

While this phenomenon could enhance the overall water supply capacity, the risks of glacier collapses and glacial lake outburst floods are projected to be more than three times higher than current levels.

Yao noted that the mission provides crucial scientific support for water resources and water security strategies. 

"It is essential to strengthen the construction of scientific early warning systems for glacial collapses and glacial lake outbursts, and to implement more effective measures for sustainable water resource management," he said.

(With input from Xinhua)