UN Urged to Discuss Tibet's Environment at Copenhagen Summit

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Tibet.net
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Avaaz activists protest during a demonstration on the final day of the Climate Change Talks in Barcelona, Spain, on 6 November 2009. File photo/Reuters/Gustau Nacarino/Spain

Bangalore: Underscoring the catastrophic impacts of climate change on the Tibetan plateau on billions of lives in China, Pakistan and India, a Tibetan environmental researcher said the international community must press the UN to declare Tibetan plateau and Himalayan region as special environmental status during the next month's climate change summit in Copenhagen.

Rising temperature on the Tibetan plateau triggers rapid melting of glaciers, which would affect lives in China, India, Burma, Thailand and other Asian countries since they depend on about 50 -60 per cent of fresh water flowing from Tibet, Dhondup Dolma, a researcher of the Central Tibetan Administration, said in her talk on significance of Tibetan plateau.

The talk was part of a lecture series at the three-day Thank you India festival and 50 years of Tibetans in exile in Bangalore, which successfully concluded yesterday.

Dhondup Dolma said the drastic climate change in Tibet in part is caused by the failed policies of the Chinese government.

The failed policies include damming and diverting international rivers, desertification and drying up of wetlands caused by conversion of grassland to cropland in early 1950s to meet the needs of the People's Liberation of Army, mining, infrastructure development and forced relocation of nomads.

She warned that exploitation of Tibet's natural resources such as felling of trees would not only trigger floods in China, India, Bangladesh and other Asian countries, but it undermines the role of forest covers and Tibet's natural environment in combating climate changes.

Every year Brahmaputra floods in the Indian subcontinent. Landslides and soil erosion caused by deforestation have increased the silt flow into the Bay of Bengal. One third of the two billion tons of sediment is deposited in the plains of Bangladesh, reducing the depth of rivers and causing disastrous floods every year.

Satluj Flash Flood of June 2005 was caused due to sudden rise of Pareechu River in the Tibetan Plateau. In total, June 2005 flood affected 213,060 peoples with total damage of 336 crore rupees. The flood affected the population living in the entire area of Kinnaur district between Wangtoo to Samdho and Spiti Sub Division of Lahaul-Spiti district.

The China - Tibet railway line is causing transformation of landscapes in Tibet and seriously affects the carbon sinks like grassland, permafrost which in turn leads to rise in temperature, she said.

Responding to questions from the audience, Kalon Kesang Yankyi Takla said "there is imminent danger to the whole of Asia and the global community on the issue of water unless the environment of Tibet is saved from destruction."

"Despite limited resources of the Tibetans in exile, but as a human being the Tibetan community focus on creating awareness in the international community about the catastrophic repercussions of climate change on the Tibetan plateau," Kalon Takla said.

"We want to tell you that unless we are not aware about the destruction of environment in Tibet, we are definitely going to suffer," Kalon Takla added.