CB Bureau
and unscientific construction of highways and railways by the Chinese have left
the ecological balance of the Tibetan plateau vulnerable, the Tibetan
government-in-exile in Dharamsala has stated in a report titled ‘A synthesis of
recent science and Tibetan research on climate change’.
According to the report, the temperature
increase on the Tibetan plateau is twice the global average, resulting in
quicker degradation of permafrost, drastic change on climate pattern, and
desertification of vast grassland. ‘The Chinese authorities blame the Tibetan
pastoral nomads (who have preserved the fragile grassland for centuries) for
desertification and put forth ill-advised policies that destroy the age-old
nomadic way of life,’ it said.
In a clear rebuttal, the report calls for
the ‘recognition of Tibetan nomads as the best stewards of the grassland and
withdrawal of current policies that force the nomads to settle permanently.’
Further, it says there is a need for a water-sharing treaty among the countries
of the region and of making the Tibetan plateau an exploitation-free
international observatory zone. It recommends ‘enforcement of environment policies
by tying greenhouse gas reduction into the current economic model.’
‘We hope that this report will serve as a
further research tool to the Tibetan community and the Himalayan region,’ said
Tenzin Norbu, head of the environment and development desk of the department of
information and international relations, which published the report.
In
April this year, at an event in Delhi to mark the birth centenary of former
president R Venkataraman, the Dalai Lama had expressed concern about the impact
of global warming on the Tibetan Himalayan region and said that India, which
stands to be directly affected by the phenomenon, should take up the issue more
forcefully.
Noting that all major Indian rivers
originate from the Himalayan glacier region and that millions of Indians were
using the water flowing from the Himalayan glacier, he said, ‘You, therefore,
have reason to show concerns about the ecology of that region.’
‘The problem is much more serious than it
is perceived to be. The glaciers are melting at a faster rate in the Himalayan
region and deep inside Tibet. So it is very essential that we address it fast,’
he emphasised.
The Tibetan region is the world’s largest
and highest plateau, and contains the biggest ice fields outside the Antarctic and
the Arctic, which is why many environmentalists call it the Earth’s Third Pole.
Many of the rivers which flow through large areas of Asia, through Pakistan,
India, China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, originate in Tibet.
Picture: Aerial view of
Tibet-Himalayas
Source: Mapstor.com