Investigation on Climate Changes

In June 2006, the Association participated in the “Symposium on the Climate Changes in 3 great rivers sources – its effects & tackling strategies” jointly organized by WWF & State Meteorology Bureau.In the symposium, we discussed on the effects of Climate Changes on typical ecosystems & the strategies to tackle Climate Changes.

In Sept 2005, the Association,Cold and Arid Regions Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chinese Academy of Social Sciences & WWF launched the “On-the -spotInvestigation on the Climate Changes in the Changjiang River source region”.

Enclosed:Investigation Report on “Effects of Climate Changes on Changjiang River source region”.

“Effects of Climate Changes on Changjiang River source region” Social Science investigation project team

Officier-in-charge: Dr. Zhang Jijiao, (Associate Research fellow,

Department of Ethnology & Anthropology, China Academy of Social Science)

Team members: Za Xi Duo Jie (Tibetan, Deputy General Secretary of The Snowland Great Rivers Environmental Protection Association, Yushu Prefecture)

Li Yujun (Man nationality, Associate Research fellow, city development & environment research centre, China Academy of Social Science)

Dr. Yang Xuefei (Asst. Research fellow, Kunming Plants research institute, China

Academy of Science)

Jiang Duo (Tibetan, Director of The Snowland Great Rivers Environmental Protection

Association, Yushu Prefecture)

Assistant Team members: An officier from China Academy of Social Science 3 other officiers from The Snowland Great Rivers Environmental Protection Association, Yushu Prefecture 6 Primary school teachers from Quemalai County & Zhiduo County

Report writers: Zhang Jijiao, Li yujun

Main Findings or Conclusions

From the on-the-spot investigation, we arrived at the following findings or conclusions:

Climate Changes in the Changjiang River source region are significant.

In the on-the-spot investigation, 84.5% of the interviewees opined that local climate changes were “very significant” or “quite significant”.56.39% deeply felt the “very significant” local climate changes.Main significant impacts of climate changes on local environment: rivers’ drainage amount (14.72%); rats damages (13.4%); quality of forage grass (13.21%); grasslands (10%).This illustrated that we need to investigate & concern about the climate changes in Changjiang River source region.

Significant adverse effects on the livelihood of herdsmen in the Changjiang River source due to Climate Changes.

Herdsmen rely on the climates & Nature for their livelihood, thus Climate Changes have direct effects on their lives.

Information obtained from door-to-door interviews with the herdsmen: direct & indirect effects of Climate Changes: the animal husbandry business is greatly affected- quality of forage grass worsens; rats damages increases; diseases of animals increase. Seasons change: lengthening of winters & shortening of summers (from 3 – 4 months to less than 3 months).The shortening of summers greatly affected the growth & returning green of grass & the growth & milk production of animals.More seriously affected areas are: worsened forage grass quality (15.69%); increased rat damages (14.78%).Increased animal diseases (10.77%).The local herdsmen’s economy was seriously affected, some herdsmen even found their life endangered.

Adverse effects of Climate Changes on the environments of Changjiang River source region

The grasslands, on which the herdsmen rely for their production, degenerate, desertify & reduce.52.5% of the interviewees opined the degeneration of grasslands serious, 34% quite serious.61% opined the relationship of Climate Changes & the degeneration & desertification of grasslands close & 31.5% quite close.72% of the interviewees opined that the reduction of grasslands has reached a serious or quite serious state.87.5% opined the relationship of Climate Changes & the reduction of grasslands quite close.

Overall speaking, adverse effects of Climate Changes on the local environment are reflected in the following areas: worsening of forage grass quality (20.87%), increased rats damages (17.46%), soil desertification (13.66%), reduction in grasslands (10.44%).Many herdsmen said that due to the deterioration of the local environment, especially the first two factors (worsened forage grass quality & increased rats damages) the animals do not have enough food, they grow less & give less births.Thus it’s now difficult to rear animals.Deterioration of the environment directly affects the herdsmen, thus we should focus our attention on the adverse effects of Climate Changes on the herdsmen & not on the environment only.

Different effects of Climate Changes on different locations of Changjiang River source region

Differences are due to different locations of the counties in the vast area of Changjiang River source.E.g. in Zhiduo county, the most significant change is less snowing in winters but more snows in summers, in Qumalai county, the most significant change is more windy days in both summers & winters.

The claim that ‘over-herding caused the environmental changes in the Changjiang River source region’ is incorrect

In the past, some news, government reports, academic thesis & reporters (Government officials, researchers, journalists) claimed that overherding, excess animals in the Changjiang River source region were among the important factors that caused the climate changes in that region.

However, in our on-the-spot investigation, both the local herdsmen & government officials (e.g. Head of Qumalai county Animal Husbandry Bureau) didn’t think that there’re problems of over-herding or excess animals.In the 200 interviewees, 42.5% (85) thought that there was no excess animals, 27%(54) thought that the problem of excess animals was not serious.Before the great snow disaster in 1985, the number of animals was at the highest and after that the number has been decreasing.

In our investigation, excess animals & improper herding did cause worsening of the environment in some pastoral areas but they are only individual cases & are not a general, serious phenomenon.

In other words, as the excess numbers of animals & improper herding are not the main reasons for the deterioration of the environment in the Changjiang River source region, the drastic climate changes in the area & the fragility of the environment itself require more investigations.