South American Glaciers Flashcards
1
Q
Outline one reason for recent land cover change
A
Climate change, caused by human activities
2
Q
Social impacts
A
- over 80% of water used by Peruvians emanates from glaciers in,chiding all water for the capital city, Lima
- 70% of electricity used by Peru and Bolivia comes from hydro power
3
Q
Environmental
A
- most glaciers of the South American continent are declining considerably and thus has led to hazardous conditions particularly in form of floods and avalanches
4
Q
Economic
A
- ice avalanches have caused millions of dollar in damages while melting glaciers to break their banks and flood villages downstream, all causing significant financial costs
- Peru and Bolivia are two of the poorest countries in south America and they rely heavily on tourism as a income
5
Q
Statistics
A
- 99% of the worlds tropical glaciers are located in South America
- 71% in Peru
- some of these glaciers may not exist by 2020
- in last 35 years those tropical glaciers have lost between 25 and 50% of their ice volumes
6
Q
Spatial tech
A
- satellite Imagery, acknowledging the total decline of a glacier
- remote sensing GPS
- GNSS
- Aerial photography
- scientific proves
- GIS
7
Q
Responses
A
Spatial tech
- addressing water security issues
8
Q
Addressing water security issues
A
- finding solutions to decreasing water supplies caused by reduced water water flows as glaciers reduce in size
- Farmers in South America and Himalayan countries are being assisted by various NGOS to grow crops that require less water such as grapes, cotton and nuts
