The number of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau is increasing, and the seemingly beautiful landscape hides a serious potential threat. Most of these highland lakes are due to melting glaciers, which is a sign of rising temperatures. This trend poses a great threat to the lower elevations, especially in India. The increase in these lakes could lead to serious problems such as flooding and increased precipitation, which could be a potential disaster for both India and China.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the source of important rivers in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, such as the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, the Ganges, the Indus River, the Lancang River and many other rivers originate here. Its status is equivalent to the water source of half of Asia, with more than 1,500 lakes embedded in the plateau like emeralds. However, most of these lakes are saltwater lakes and are "dammed lakes", where water only flows in and does not flow out, resulting in a continuous accumulation of salt in the water. As lakes increase in size, so does the risk of flooding, as in the 2021 flash flood in the Indian state of Akhand.
The problem of the proliferation of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau is extremely serious for both India and China. China's rivers originate mainly from the Tanggula Mountains, while the Tibetan Plateau is the third largest glacier reservoir, covering an area of more than 440,000 square kilometers. Once these glaciers melt, they will release large amounts of water and more than 1,000 unknown microorganisms, with serious consequences for areas that depend on river water. The reduction of river water will affect the river ecosystem, such as the Yangtze River, the Yellow River and other large rivers, snow melt is an important water volume, but the reduced water volume will have a negative impact on irrigation and farmland, which is an extremely important challenge for China and India, two large agricultural countries with large populations.
To meet this challenge, we urgently need to pay attention to the impact of global warming, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect the ecological environment and river water sources of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and actively promote water resources management and protection. Only in this way can we better face the challenges posed by the proliferation of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau and ensure that human life and development are not significantly affected. This is a challenge for our future that requires global cooperation and action.