WWF-UK: China: The Upper Yangtze
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China: The Upper Yangtze
The Yangtze is Asia's longest river and the third longest river in the world. It provides water, food and electricity for 450 million people. Inland, towards the western border of China, there are some of the richest temperate forests in the world. The Upper Yangtze is one of only two regions where the Panda survives in the wild. Two less well-known animals distinguish themselves by their golden colour: the Chinese golden monkey, and the Takin, a big gazelle-related ox. Some people believe that the mythological 'golden fleece' sought by the Argonauts of ancient Greece came from the Takin.
Glaciers located in the Tibetan Plateau, where the Yangtze originates, are likely to shrink from 1168km2 in 1970 to 1087km2 by the 2030s.
WWF research has shown that on average in the Eastern Himalaya, glaciers recede by ten meters a year. At this stage, more ice melting during the summer adds to the waterflow in the rivers. Yet once the majority of the glaciers are gone China's main rivers will experience major water problems during the hot season.
The region experiences seasonal change: Massive storms and floods occur at odd times, interrupted by sudden and often catastrophic droughts. Scientists confirm these changes in rainfall and moisture.
WWF is: assessing the vulnerability of the Yangtze River Basin to both climate and non-climate stresses; developing the adaptation strategy through eliminating non-climatic stresses and creating protected areas that plan for future changes; facilitating outreach – identifying audiences, developing materials, identifying opportunities, and participating in outreach and education events. WWF is also documenting voices of the people, by developing a climate witness project in the Yangtze River Basin, allowing the people affected to speak for themselves.
WWF is also instrumental to leveraging government funding to support rural energy development in communities in the Panda habitat. This includes the WWF demonstration of various new energy technologies and promote carbon credit projrects in Minshan or the Upper Yangtze China
Climate change impacts
Glaciers located in the Tibetan Plateau, where the Yangtze originates, are likely to shrink from 1168km2 in 1970 to 1087km2 by the 2030s.
WWF research has shown that on average in the Eastern Himalaya, glaciers recede by ten meters a year. At this stage, more ice melting during the summer adds to the waterflow in the rivers. Yet once the majority of the glaciers are gone China's main rivers will experience major water problems during the hot season.
The region experiences seasonal change: Massive storms and floods occur at odd times, interrupted by sudden and often catastrophic droughts. Scientists confirm these changes in rainfall and moisture.
WWF action in the field
WWF is: assessing the vulnerability of the Yangtze River Basin to both climate and non-climate stresses; developing the adaptation strategy through eliminating non-climatic stresses and creating protected areas that plan for future changes; facilitating outreach – identifying audiences, developing materials, identifying opportunities, and participating in outreach and education events. WWF is also documenting voices of the people, by developing a climate witness project in the Yangtze River Basin, allowing the people affected to speak for themselves.
WWF is also instrumental to leveraging government funding to support rural energy development in communities in the Panda habitat. This includes the WWF demonstration of various new energy technologies and promote carbon credit projrects in Minshan or the Upper Yangtze China
