Himalayas Left High and Dry By Climate Change, So a Man Builds Glaciers

Published October 30, 2009 @ 08:42AM PT

The Man Who Builds Glaciers. It sounds like a cutesy indie film, but in India a man is building artificial glaciers and saving communities. Chhewang Norphel does it because Himalayan communities rely on year-long glacial runoff to grow food. If glaciers continue to melt, run-off will be unpredictable and they may suffer climate-induced emergency like the Maldives — in the Maldives the waters will rise and flood the land, in the Himalayas, the rivers will run dry.

Norphel's scheme involves diverting unneeded winter and autumn water into rock lined ponds. The water will freeze and ponds interconnect to form glaciers which melt in the spring and allow runoff to continue. He's so far built ten glaciers, but they're expensive at $50,000 a pop, and though he's receiving international coverage, no scientists have come to study the effects and lend their support. He's hoping developed countries will fund his work by recompensating developing for years of pollution as a form of "climate justice." Until then, he's doing his best to ensure the next generation isn't left high and dry.

If you want to get an idea of how the world will have to deal with glacial melt and increasing emissions this weekend, then have a go at the Sim City like game Clim'City in which you manage a city and are tasked to reduce its emissions, slash energy consumption, keep your citizens happy, and your farms productive. It's realistic, and shows the tough interplay of politics, environment, and industry when it comes to climate change.

Photo credit: futureatlas.com

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Comments (2)

thnx!this one ws informative.

Posted by aastha tyagi on 10/31/2009 @ 12:02PM PT
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Thank you for the Clim'City reference.

Posted by Carol Crooks on 11/01/2009 @ 11:56AM PT
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