How Deforestation in the Amazon Affects Climate in Tibet
Rapid deforestation in the Amazon rainforest could have far-reaching consequences, influencing temperature and precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau.
The study, conducted by researchers at Beijing Normal University, found a strong link between temperature and precipitation in the Amazon and other regions through teleconnections.
Since 1979, warm temperatures in the Amazon have correlated with warm temperatures over the Tibetan Plateau and the West Antarctic ice sheet.
The study found that more precipitation in the Amazon was associated with less precipitation in Tibet, and when it rains more in the Amazon, it snows less in Tibet.
The atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns from South America to Southern Africa to the Middle East and finally to the Tibetan Plateau were all linked.
The collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet is a known tipping point, while changes to snow and ice in Tibet could have consequences for ecosystems and the billions of people that rely on its snowmelt for water.
The study suggests that logging, road construction, and other stresses in the Amazon could influence the tipping point in the Tibetan Plateau.
The research confirms that Earth system tipping elements are inter-linked even over long distances, and the Amazon is one key example of how this could play out.
The solution is to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop nature-based solutions for removing CO2 from the atmosphere to prevent sub-continental tipping events that could severely affect entire societies and threaten important parts of the biosphere.
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