Asia’s high mountains are a crucial freshwater source to one-seventh of the world’s population. Snow and glaciers in these mountains contain the largest volume of freshwater outside of Earth’s polar ice sheets, leading hydrologists to nickname this region the “third pole.” Rapid changes in the region’s climate, however, are affecting glacier flows and snowmelt. Local people are already modifying their land-use practices in response to the changing supply, and the region’s ecology is transforming. Scientists estimate that by 2100, these glaciers could be up to 75% smaller in volume. NASA’s satellites observe and measure snow and ice cover remotely with multiple types of sensors. This allows scientists to create an authoritative estimate of the water budget of this region and a set of products local policy makers can use in responding to hazards and planning for a changing water supply.
ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ / Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation members board salmon farms for the first time to inspect and document the impact of salmon aquaculture in their unceded waters, within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Video footage revealed the presence of never before recorded juvenile wild salmon inside the open net pens. Wild herring and other wild fish species were also recorded as well as the presence of jaundiced, emaciated and deformed farmed fish.
“We were so terrified with the water coming into the house and the sound of the storm. In front of my eyes, the walls of our house collapsed.” That’s Geeta Maiti, a resident of Mousuni Island, part of the Indian Sundarbans—a 4,000 square-mile World Heritage site on the Bay of Bengal, shared by India and Bangladesh. There, a rich ecosystem supports the world’s largest mangrove forest and several hundred animal species, including the endangered Bengal tiger. The region is home to approximately 13 million people. It is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change in the world.
“Losing Ground” was directed by Lisa Hornak and Erin Stone. It is part of The Atlantic Selects, an online showcase of short documentaries from independent creators, curated by The Atlantic.
