 A Comparative Study of Climate Change and Glacier Loss in the Andes and the Tibetan Plateau Doris Carrion, Rahul D’Sa, Andrew Lyubarsky, Benjamin Shaffer

Introduction  Glacier Loss  Precipitation Variability  Andean Highlands  Roles of El Niño Southern Oscillation and warming trends  Tibetan Plateau  Significance of North Atlantic Oscillation and Indian Monsoon

The Andean Highlands  Countries like Peru have lost 25% of their glaciers in the last three decades.  This graph shows the glacier mass balance reduction in the Peruvian Cordillera Blanca since the 1950s.

Why Melting in the Andes?  Always seasonal variation in precipitation and temperature  ENSO: normal conditions  ENSO: increasing intensity

The Tibetan Plateau  Rapid retreat of glaciers  In the past half-century 80% of glaciers have retreated  Predicted to see a loss of two- thirds of all glacial mass by 2050  Maritime glaciers are particularly susceptible to climate change  Hydrological cycle  Increase in precipitation intensity, decrease in frequency  Increase in low-level clouds, which also increase surface warming – positive feedback loops Halong Glacier, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau 1981(top) v (bottom)

Conclusions  Global warming is contributing to glacial loss in both regions, with different contributing mechanisms (ENSO/NAO/monsoons).  Warming temperatures may seem to be a boon at first to rural populations (more runoff water, more arable land due to higher temperatures)  However, these benefits are unsustainable. Increased runoff leads to decreases in total glacial water supply, leading to drought in agricultural areas and power generation problems for urban areas.  Strict carbon emissions controls which would lead to lower emissions scenarios would decrease, but not erase the severity of these trends.