Asia: Physical Features and Environmental Issues

Asia 44,579,000 sq km (17,212,048.13 square miles) Africa 30,065,000 sq km (11,608,161.4 square miles) North America 24,256,000 sq km (9,365,293.96 square miles) South America 17,819,000 sq km (6,879,954.36 square miles) Antarctica 13,209,000 sq km (5,100,023.41 square miles) Europe 9,938,000 sq km (3,837,083.25 square miles) Australia 7,687,000 sq km (2,967,967.29 square miles)

Plateau of Tibet

Deccan Plateau

Indian Peninsula

Malay Peninsula

Indochina Peninsula

Korean Peninsula

Himalayas

Mt. Everest

Gobi Desert

Takla Makan Desert

Water Pollution Water Pollution The Ganges The Ganges http://www.compulsivetraveler.tv/videos/408-Ganges-River-Pollution http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=166276235

Water Pollution The Ganges Water Pollution

Huang He or Yellow River

Chang Jiang or Yangtze River

Water Pollutio Water Pollution The Yangtze http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5238225n http://www.stephenvoss.com/stories/ChinaWaterPollution/index.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7290000/newsid_7293200/7293230.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/08/26/world/asia/choking_on_growth.html http://www.pbs.org/kqed/chinainside/nature/waterissues.html

Mekong River

Indian Ocean

Bay of Bengal

What is the Asian Brown Cloud What is the Asian Brown Cloud? Environmental Impact of the Asian Brown Cloud The report makes clear that atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) interfere with the environment in a number of ways. Impact on Himalayan Glaciers The Himalayan glaciers provide the source of many of Asia’s great rivers, with millions of people depending on them for food and water. Because ABCs increase atmospheric heating these glaciers are in retreat for the past number of decades. ABCs carry large amounts of soot and black carbon which are deposited on the glaciers, allowing them to absorb more of the sun’s heat and melt quicker.

ABC impact on Agriculture Dimming induced by atmospheric brown clouds is considered the major cause of the changing pattern of rainfall in Asia, with decreasing rainfall in some parts while other parts experience intense floods. ABCs are interfering with centuries old monsoon patterns with disastrous consequences for food production. The large concentration of ozone in atmospheric brown clouds could decrease crop yields by as much as 20%. Health Effects of Asian Brown Cloud According to the UNEP report a large part of the aerosol particulars that make up atmospheric brown clouds are the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biofuels. The health impact of these particles is an increase in cardiovascular effects, pulmonary illnesses and chronic respiratory problems. The report estimates that in India and China alone, ABCs result in over 330,000 excess deaths per year.

Air Pollution: The Asian Brown Cloud http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2009/08/21/vause.big.brown.cloud.cnn.html http://videosfromindia.smashits.com/view/3305/air-pollution-causes-eye-ailments-in-a-village&page=1&viewtype=basic&category=mr Air Pollution: The Asian Brown Cloud

Flooding: The Ganges

Flooding: Yellow River

China: Flooding and Forestry