PG

Prajnanandan GiriAIR 24

Question 5GS1GS1

The melting of glaciers due to climate change has serious implications for the ecosystem and human society. Discuss the effects of melting glaciers on the environment and the measures that can be taken to address this issue.

Open scan (p.13)

Introduction

According to IPCC 6th Assessment report, glaciers melting over poles and Himalaya-Hindukush region is one of the tipping point for global climate change.

23 words

Main Body

Effects of melting glacier on environment:

1. Ice Positive feedback loop CreationMelting glaciersReduced albedoFurther global warmingmore melting.

2. Rise in river level over short term & drying of rivers over long-term.

3. Changes in ground-water levelDepletion issues

4. Impact on local biodiversity [E.g] Loss of snow leopard habitat in Himalayas.

Disaster like Glacial lake outburst flood - [E.g] Kedarnath floods (2013)

Measures to address:

Short-term:

1. Limiting tourism and carbon emission over sensitive region.

2. Afforestation activity on high reaches of Himalayas

Long-term:

1. To tackle global warming by adhering to Paris agreement.

2. Creation of artificial glacier [E.g] Ice Stupas of Ladakh to reduce dependence on natural glacier

3. Carbon sequestration activities

Melting of glaciers at large scale can have multidimensional issue like sea-level rise floods etc. Therefore, it must be tackled through global cooperation under UNFCC

148 words9 paragraphs
  • References IPCC report
  • Explains positive feedback loop clearly
  • Mentions specific impact (snow leopard)
  • Covers multiple dimensions (hydrology, ecology, climate)

Topper

Prajnanandan Giri

AIR 24

Subject & Paper

GS1GS1

Topic

Important Geophysical Phenomena and Geographical Features

Glacier melting and climate change

Effects of glacier melting on environment

Writing Stats

171

Total words

9

Paragraphs

Scientific and systematic

Tone