Shrinking Glaciers Might Lead To Severe Food And Water Shortage
June 13th, 2010 - 8:58 pm ICT by GDBy Ranjan Bhaduri
Dubai, June 13, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Dutch scientists have concluded that a total number of 60 million people who dwell around the Himalayan belt shall witness severe food shortages in the upcoming years as the glaciers continue to shrink. However, they also said that the impact of the food shortage will be less as compared to the earlier estimations by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel way back in the year of 2007.
Research studies have shown that the major river basins like Ganges, Indus and the Brahmaputra shall witness the water supplies going down by a rate of 19.6 percent in the upcoming year of 2050. Utrecht University hydrology professor Marc Bierkens is the one who have conducted a research study along with Ludovicus Van Beek and Walter Immerzee.
The research team told the media that the Himalayas are the only ones which have the potential to hold on to the glaciers even in warmer days. Comparatively, the Alaskan glaciers and the glaciers of Andes and Alps mountains have been reported to have experienced continuous shrinkage at an alarming rate.
Marc Bierkens along with his research team has urged the government to shift to the cultivation of crops which requires less water for their existence. They also said that the chief concern is the supply of water which needs to be stored for future usage. Casey Brown who is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering for University of Massachusetts said that the issue is an alarming one and has to be dealt with special attention.
She fears if the shrinkage of the glaciers isn’t arrested then it could affect the water supply in the future over the Asian lands.
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Tags: alarming rate, alaskan glaciers, alps mountains, brahmaputra, casey brown, chief concern, dutch scientists, food shortage, food shortages, ganges, himalayas, hydrology, intergovernmental panel, professor marc, river basins, shrinkage, university of massachusetts, utrecht university, van beek, water shortage