Translated from www.people.com      12^th, August

Prof Yao Tandong, director of ITP recently pointed out at the Fourth International Symposium on the Tibetan Plateau that shrinking of the glaciers escalated since 20c. He explained that in the first half of the twentieth century, glaciers were moving forward or at a turning point from moving forward to withdraw. The period between 1950s and 1960s witnessed withdrawing of 2/3 of all the glaciers. Still 10% were still progressing and the rest remained stable. However, glaciers began to push forward or appeared to do so during the end of 1960s and 1970s. But this trend did not last long when glaciers turned to withdraw in 1980s. In 1990s, withdraw of glaciers took place in large scale, represented by Zeka Glacier, Kaqing Glacier in Southeast Tibet and some glaciers in lower regions on the Tibetan Plateau. Take the Great Dongkemadi Glacier in Tanggula Mountain as an example. This 14.63Km² (measured in 1991) glacier was found out to push forward 15.7m between 1989 and the beginning of 1994; however, this progressing turned to shrinking from the summer in 1994, leading to 4.56m backing down of the glacier in 2001.

The whole process of the glaciers in the past decade is featured by full-scale and fast speed. Prof. Yao’s observation also suggests that shrink of glaciers vary with locations. For example, equally undergoing an intense backing down, Pasu Glacier in Kalakunlun Mountains has shrunk 50m on the whole, while those glaciers in mid- or surround the Tibetan Plateau has reduced by less than 10m.

Prof. Ding Yihui, special consultant of climate change in State Meteorological Administration predicted that with the progressing of global warming, by 2050, winter’s temperature will rise by 1℃-2℃, causing about 27% loss of glaciers in West China.