World Environment Day 2014

‘Raise Your Voice, Not the Sea Level’

Climate change is the most challenging environmental crisis in present context. It is neither new nor unusual phenomenon (Miller, 2004), that reflect the variations within the Earth's atmospheric processes. The planet is already experiencing its impacts on biodiversity, freshwater resources and local livelihoods. Using current climate change trends; by 2100, the average global temperature may raise by 1.4-5.8⁰C (IPCC, 2001). Therefore the effect of climate change is certain disaster for fragile ecosystems like glacier. More than one sixth of the world’s population lives in glacier fed and snow fed water basins (Stern 2007). As global temperatures are increasing, snow-cover is decreasing in most regions of the world. There is a melt-off and mass loss for the majority of the world’s glaciers and ice caps that changes the hydrology of glacier fed water basins (Bates et al. 2008). As glaciers melt due to global warming, river discharges for glacier fed rivers will increase in the short term but decrease over the next few decades as ice storage gradually diminishes (Kundzewicz et al. 2007).

Global climate change has negative consequences on the earth’s environment. Some coastal countries are in high risk to be submerged due to effect of rising sea level. The sea levels rise rate will be 0.45–0.82 meters higher than present level (IPCC 5^th Assessment Report, 2013), while some mountainous countries are facing adverse effect of rapid melting of glacier and one of the imminent evidence is receding of mountain glaciers. Climate change is more evident in Himalayan region. Himalayan glaciers have been melting at an unprecedented rate in recent decades, doubling the risk of Glacier lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), which may ultimately displace the downstream settlement.

Glaciers itself are sensitive and 'high-confident' indicators of climate change (Armstrong, 2010). Himalayan glaciers are retreating at a faster rate than in any other region of the world and if the current melt rate continues, it is likely that the glaciated area of the Himalayas will decrease from 500,000 km² to 100,000 km² by the year 2035 (Shen et al. 2002). Glaciers shorter than four km in length on the Tibetan Plateau are projected to disappear completely. However, some of these estimates have received criticism. The temperature rise in Himalayas is occurring at three times the global average increase (Cruz et al. 2007). The climate of the Himalayas is highly variable because its wide range of geographical factors such as elevation and rain shadow effects that contribute to variations in temperature and precipitation (Young & Hewitt 1990).

The retreat of glaciers in the Himalaya is compelling evidence of the need for action on climate change. Therefore with the theme of ‘Raise your voice not the sea level’ World Environment Day 2014 was celebrated. To overcome the effect of climate change in sea level rising, each country should pay their valuable contribution as by spreading the awareness to diminish the effect of climate change and at least each individual should make their concern towards the path of low global warming contribution.