Mountains around the world are warming more quickly than nearby lowland areas, according to a major global review, and the impacts could be severe for billions of people who live in or rely on these regions, Science Daily reported. Researchers warn that climate shifts at higher elevations are unfolding faster and with greater intensity, raising risks for water supplies, ecosystems, and human safety.
The international study, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, focuses on a process scientists call “elevation-dependent climate change” (EDCC), which describes how environmental changes can speed up as altitude increases. The review brings together the most comprehensive evidence so far showing how mountain climates are changing worldwide.
The research team, led by Associate Professor Dr. Nick Pepin of the University of Portsmouth, analyzed information from global climate datasets along with detailed case studies from major mountain regions. These included the Rocky Mountains, the Alps, the Andes, and the Tibetan Plateau, offering a broad picture of how conditions are evolving across different continents.
Their analysis reveals troubling trends between 1980 and 2020:
Temperature: Mountain regions are warming on average 0.21°C per century faster than surrounding lowlands
Precipitation and snow: Rainfall patterns are becoming more erratic, and snowfall is increasingly being replaced by rain
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