Pushing Climate Change Science to the Roof of the World

Abstract:

Recent reports emphasize the impacts of current and accelerating climate change in mountain regions throughout the world with potentially severe consequences for water storage and water quality. Mountain regions are critical because they provide water to nearly one quarter of all humans on Earth and 50% of its biodiversity centers (Immerzeel et al., 2019). Despite their significance we know relatively little about weather, climate, biodiversity, glacier health, and pollutant levels in these regions at elevations higher than 5000 masl, due largely to logistics challenges. This is a multi-dimensional gap in our basic knowledge about the Earth system that is essential to fill in order to develop robust climate prediction and adaptation plans. To begin to address the aforementioned gaps newly emerging highlights from the multidisciplinary (biology, geology, glaciology, mapping, meteorology, and risk assessment) 2019 National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition will be presented. This expedition provides both a framework and a data legacy for future research in the Himalayas and throughout mountain regions worldwide.