Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak on the African continent, and the glaciers at the top of the mountain for more than a thousand years are of great scientific value. But in recent years, as the problem of climate change has become more acute, speculation that mountain glaciers may disappear has never stopped. The reporter recently visited the town of Moshi, Tanzania, to explore the impact of climate change, Africa's highest peak.
Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa and is known as the "Roof of Africa". When the name is mentioned, a snow-capped mountain in the sweltering equatorial region always comes to mind. In the eyes of the locals, this snow-capped is a symbol of good fortune that not only nurtures life up and down the mountain, but also brings tourism dividends to the town below Kilimanjaro.
According to the reporter, local legend has it that if you can see the snowy tops of Kilimanjaro when you look up in the morning, then this day will be a sign of good luck. But like the glaciers of Antarctica and the Arctic, the snow tops on Mount Kilimanjaro are shrinking due to climate change.
It is an inn that has been providing mountain climbing services for tourists since the thirties of the last century. For nearly a hundred years, they have collected many precious photographs documenting the changes in the snowtops of Mount Kilimanjaro. When we confront these photos, we are surprised by how much the glacier is shrinking.
Desmond, owner of the Marangu Hotel: The photo above was taken in 1920, and you can see that the area of the snow roof on it was still very large. This one is from 2006, and now there's a little bit on it, and you can tell from these photos that it's reduced.
According to a 2020 survey on carbon emissions "wealth gap" released by relevant international relief organizations, the richest 1% of the world's population has emitted more than twice as many greenhouse gases as the poorest 50% of the population over the past 25 years. Global warming caused by carbon emissions is undoubtedly one of the main reasons for the shrinking snow dome in Kilimanjaro.
In 1912, the summit of Kilimanjaro was first measured. So far, the glacier at the summit has retreated by 82 percent compared to 1912. Measurements also show that the height of the summit ice sheet has decreased by at least 17 meters since 1962.
Kikoti, head of conservation in Kilimanjaro National Park: It's very real, the ice in Kilimanjaro is already disappearing, and it has a lot to do with climate change.
Source: CCTV Finance