Note: we considered this short piece on climate change on the roof of the world, a suitable publication for Earth Day on 22 April 2024

Hailed as the “Third Pole” of the world and Asia’s “water tower,” the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is one of the most sensitive areas to climate change. Over the last five decades, the average temperature there has risen twice as fast as the global average. Inhabitants of the plateau are experiencing changes due to global warming.

Palyang’s (aka Bayang) home is located in a mesmerizing alpine pasture in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Qinghai Province. In recent years, she has noticed that rivers near her home are drying up year by year and wonders whether this is related to climate change, a term she frequently hears in the training sessions organized by the environmental protection group where she works.

To better understand climate change, Palyang embarks on a journey to the sacred Amne Machin snow mountain in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and explores the water sources in Yushu City. Along the way, she gains a new perspective on her hometown and her conservation efforts, leading her to make a significant decision.

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