A large research project into China's glaciers distribution has recently been completed, with scientists building China's first information database for these glaciers. Experts say that over the last 40 years, the area covered by glaciers in China has fallen by 3248 square kilometres, almost 5.5%. Ice reserves have fallen by approximately 389 cube kilometres, 7% of 1960 totals. The height of the glaciers has fallen 6.5 meters on average.

Since the 1990s, glaciers have retreated increasingly rapidly. Although runoff into rivers has increased temporarily, in the long term, rivers will dry up and there will be a water shortage.

By People's Daily Online