A press conference held in the Norwegian Arctic town of Tromsoe was concerned with the global warming effects due to the melting of Earth’s ice and snow.
“Snow and ice reflect 70 to 80 percent of the sun’s energy, whereas water absorbs it. If snow and ice continue to melt, this will amplify global warming,” report author Paal Prestud was quoted by AFP as telling a press conference.
UN warned on 6 May, 2007 that the melting of Earth’s ice and snow not only led to global warming effects but could trigger wider ranging impacts on people, economies and wild life. Also the Global outlook for Ice and Snow report was launched on the same day by United Nations Environment Programme to mark World Environment Day on June 5.
It was argued by Paal Prestud that an estimated 40 percent of the world’s population could be affected by the loss of snow and glaciers on the mountains of Asia. Many Asian rivers begin in the Himalayas and less ice and snow would then mean less water for drinking and agriculture. Rising sea levels would affect low-lying coasts and islands hitting hard country like Indonesia
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change as global warming threatens to raise sea levels and flood coastal farming areas and threatening food security.
Paal Prestud concluded that, “Snow and ice are continuing to decline because of human activity and they will continue to do so if greenhouse gases continue to be emitted.”
