The largest and highest plateau in the world, the Tibetan Plateau, is also called the Water Tower of Asia. Climate change has not spared this region either, and while elsewhere we have to face increasing water shortages, here the situation is exactly the opposite, with more and more water causing problems.

It is no coincidence that the Tibetan Plateau is called the water tower of Asia. There are more than a thousand lakes, and there is a huge amount of water, which can be found in liquid and ice form. However, climate change has its effect here too: there is more and more precipitation, and the melting of glaciers has unexpected consequences.

Taking into account the known consequences of climate change, an international research team has developed a simulation model for the period between 2021 and 2100. According to their estimates, by the end of the century, the surface of the lakes here may increase by up to 50 percent, which will be accompanied by a huge increase in the volume of water. In the case of the region's largest lake alone, this means 66 billion tons of water and an increase in surface area of ​​800 square kilometers. As a result, if nothing is done until then, at least 500 settlements, more than a thousand kilometers of roads, and almost 10 thousand square kilometers of ecological areas (arable fields, green meadows, etc.) You will drown.

The researchers also looked at the economic consequences of increased water storage, for various socio-economic scenarios. Even in a society that is not very poor and not very rich, increasing the amount of water would cause an economic loss equivalent to about $7 billion.

Although the abundance of water in China may be a problem, the world's great lakes are shrinking due to global warming. As the planet warms, evaporation increases, causing lake levels to fall. In this regard, experts from the University of Virginia pointed out that half of the Great Lakes have disappeared since 1990, and 22 gigatons of water are taken away every year. The huge demand for water for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption further exacerbates this problem.

If you want to know about similar things at other times, like it Facebook page of the HVG Tech department, which also reports on scientific discoveries.