In 2009, the Third Pole Environment (TPE) program was created to promote scientific research in this area. Research conducted at TPE aims to get a clearer picture on the interactions between humans, ice, water, and the ecosystems at the Third Pole. Till date, against inclement weather and all sorts of technical challenges, extensive research has been successfully conducted and observation networks installed.

 

 

For instance, in October 2020, a team of TPE scientists conducted an unprecedentedly comprehensive investigation of glaciers in Qinghai Province, in a region known as the Three-River-Source Region. Helicopters were used to transport equipment and scientists to investigate the glacier for the first time.

 

 

Ice cores were extracted at an altitude of about 6000 m to obtain information on how human activity impacts global climate and the environment. Geomorphic surveys were conducted using drones, radars, and satellite navigation systems to obtain data on the receding trends of glaciers.

 

 

In a similar vein, in a 108-day research expedition in the Karakorum Region that begun in 2019, TPE scientists drilled ice and lake sediment cores to gain information on climate change caused over millennium-scale events. Aerial surveys of glacial geometry and depth were conducted, showcasing the potential of airborne high-tech equipment for future glacial studies.

 

   

Under the TPE program, two other expeditions have been conducted, in 2019 and 2020, respectively, to establish monitoring systems in the Sedongpu Valley and Cirenmaco glacial lake. Global warming has weakened the structure of glaciers around these zones, sometimes causing unpredictable ice collapse and glacial lake outburst floods. To prevent future disasters, watchtowers, weather stations, and water level sensors have been installed to obtain real-time data via satellite and issue early warnings. These efforts will help protect downstream roads, bridges, and villages, where people’s lives and properties are at stake. 

 

  

Additionally, in a longer-term study that begun in 2016, TPE scientists measured the consequences of two large ice collapses that happened that year near the Aru Co and Memar Co lakes. As the study revealed, the collapse of two Tibetan glaciers continues to impact these lake ecosystems, causing significant rises in water level and temperature drops. There is even a risk of these two lakes merging, which would affect the landscape and its inhabitants forever. 

 

 

The TPE scientists strongly believe that understanding what’s going on at the Third Pole is critical to grasp the extent of the threats posed by climate change, here, as well as in other alpine regions. Humanity is walking on thin ice, and the sooner proactive actions are taken, the better it will be for its fate on this planet.