High atop the Andes Mountain an 18,000 year old glacier is disappearing. Chacaltaya, one of the highest glacier ranges in Bolivia, reaching an elevation of over 17,000 feet (5421m), has been shrinking. The shocking rate at which this glacier is melting is of great concern. Since 1987, 80 percent of the glacier has been lost and it is expected to completely disappear by the end of this year.
This is but one sign of many that have scientist and leaders worried. The UN’s most recent report from the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) expresses a grave concern over the problem of global warming. The report states that “Observational records and climate projections provide abundant evidence that freshwater resources are vulnerable and have the potential to be strongly impacted by climate change, with wide-ranging consequences on human societies and ecosystems.” Communities that have relied on water supplies from run-off by glaciers, such as Quito , the capital of Ecuador, are particularly at immediate risk. A trend that has been highlighted by “The Impacts of Climate Change in Latin America,” a recent report released by Walter Vergara an engineer on behalf of the World Bank.
Both reports warn of the seriousness of the situation that threatens water supply, crops, energy production, and habitats around the world. Concerns that have created partnerships such as the one between the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility, in hopes of making people aware of the seriousnesses of this issue and finding realistic solutions before countries around the world face an environmental and economical collapse.
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