Black Carbon Drives Glacial Retreat, Snowfall Decline in Tibetan Plateau

Communications Earth and Environment, 4 June 2025

Black carbon emissions have significantly reduced frozen water storage across the Tibetan Plateau, driving one-third of ice loss there from 2007 to 2016, shrinking a crucial freshwater source for millions. Black carbon air pollution directly increases ice loss by darkening the surface of snow and ice when these tiny particles deposit, increasing melting. This study also indicated changes in atmospheric circulation patterns due to black carbon emissions, ultimately reducing snowfall. These factors together weaken the ability of glaciers to preserve ice in summer, as well as recover during winter months with snowfall. Black carbon thus decreases glacier resilience, posing a critical treat to water resources for downstream population centers including the Indus and Ganges-Brahmaputra basins; during the studied decade, these two basins endured an 18% and 25% decline in total water storage, respectively.

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