Runoff from the melting ice will peak between 2020 and 2040
Glaciers in Alberta and British Columbia provinces in western Canada are likely to lose 70 per cent of their volume by 2100, adversely impacting water quality in the region and aquatic ecosystems, says a study. The loss will also hit forestry, agriculture and alpine tourism.
Compared to 2005, the loss in glacial area will be 75 per cent, says the study that was published online in Nature Geoscience on April 6.
“Retreat of mountain glaciers is a significant contributor to sea-level rise and a potential threat to human populations through impacts on water availability and regional hydrology,” the study says.
The researchers used a computer model that combined four well-known scenarios for global warming in this century and used data on three glacier-covered regions and dynamics of ice melt to make the projections.
“We use twenty-first-century climate scenarios from an ensemble of global climate models in our simulations; the results indicate that by 2100, the volume of glacier ice in western Canada will shrink by 70 ± 10 per cent relative to 2005,” says the study.
In two of the three regions studied, the losses could be over 90 per cent. Runoff from the melting ice will peak between 2020 and 2040.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.