Climate Change: Scientists seek solutions to save critical ecosystems

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As climate change continues to threaten lives and livelihoods, scientists from around the world are seeking to combat its impact on fragile ecosystems. This includes the planet's polar ice caps. But there's another region that's also under threat. Our next report explains.

Scientists from all over the world are assembling at the week-long United Nations Environmental Assembly in Nairobi in search of solutions to climate change.

This group of scientists is searching for solutions to save the third-pole region.

When we think of the world's polar regions, only two usually spring to mind - the North and South poles.

But there is a region to the south of China and the north of India that is known as the Third Pole.

10 of Asia's largest rivers begin here, including the Yellow river and Yangtze river in China.

It is estimated that the water that flows from the Third Pole supports nearly one fifth of the world's population.

The Third Pole, because it is high above sea level, is also sensitive to changes in temperatures.

WILKISTER NYABWA NAIROBI, KENYA "The pan-third pole is widely acknowledged as Asia's water tower. This region is crucial to global sustainability of water supply. However, global warming is now taking its toll in this region."

PROF. YAO TANDONG CO-CHAIR, THIRD POLE ENVIRONMENT "Warming of climate is melting the glaciers and all the heat in the rivers. And that kind of process is causing immediate disasters. That kind of process destroys villages and also causes loss of lives."

Scientists believe the solution lies in international collaborations.

The Pan-third pole environment project was established in 2009. It is aimed at explaining environmental changes in the region and finding sustainable solutions.

PROF. YAO TANDONG CO-CHAIR, THIRD POLE ENVIRONMENT "The Chinese Academy of Sciences has brought, let's say, 1.6 Billion Yuan to address such important, such of questions and also to help society and policy-makers to also make great changes."

A reduction in greenhouse gases and black soot emissions can prevent the glaciers in the Third pole from disappearing further.

WILKISTER NYABWA, CGTN, NAIROBI.