CCTV9英语新闻：Report: Tibet's glaciers at their warmest

Recent decades have likely been the warmest and wettest on record in the Tibetan Plateau, known as the 'Third Pole' for its ice fields. 

 

The Tibetan Plateau and surrounding mountains represent one of the largest ice masses on earth. But the glaciers² are retreating rapidly, according to a report published by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

 

"We have studied dozens of glaciers on the Tibetan plateau in the past decades, and found that they have been shrinking, especially in the most recent decade. The rate of retreat has been accelerating," said Yao Tandong, director of Institute Of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS.

 

The report says temperature rises on the Tibetan plateau in the past 50 years have been two times faster than most places on earth. It predicts the glaciers in the region will shrink another 10-30 percent by 2050. 

 

A report published in May said the glaciers had already shrunk around 8,000 square kilometers over the past 30 years.

 

Glacier¹ retreat could disrupt water supply to several of Asia's main rivers that originate from the plateau, including China's Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and India's Brahmaputra.

 

But the new report also shows the ecosystem³ on the Tibetan Plateau is moving in a positive direction.

 

"We made the judgment⁴ based on two things. First, the local government and central government have paid close attention to environmental protection in the Tibetan region. This shows that humans are actively⁵ responding to climate change. Also, we simulated the ecosystem in the region for the next hundred years based on what we know about past patterns and current natural and human activities. It also shows a positive curve," Yao said.

 

The Tibetan Plateau is now one of the cleanest places on earth. Scientists have urged the government to work to reduce human impact on the region's fragile environment.

 

1 glacier   

n.冰川，冰河

参考例句：

• The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。
• The upper surface of glacier is riven by crevasses.冰川的上表面已裂成冰隙。

2 glaciers   

冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
• It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

3 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。