Melting planet

Lake Baikal, located in Siberia, Russia, is the world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake. It holds about 20 per cent of the planet’s unfrozen freshwater. Known for its crystal-clear waters, Lake Baikal is home to thousands of plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else. However, Lake Baikal is not immune to the impacts of global warming. Rising temperatures have led to significant changes in the lake’s ecosystem. Warmer winters have resulted in thinner ice cover, reducing the time the lake remains frozen. This affects the breeding cycles of species like the Baikal seal and disrupts the natural balance of the lake’s ecosystem.

And this is not the story of Lake Baikal only, but so many other frozen water sources are also facing the same. The Himalayan glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate. These glaciers provide water to billions of people across Asia, and their disappearance could trigger water shortages and destabilize entire ecosystems. Similarly, the Greenland Ice Sheet and Arctic permafrost are melting rapidly, contributing to rising sea levels and releasing trapped methane.

Sajid Awan

Dubai

UAE