By Alimat Aliyeva

Small glaciers in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China will disappear by the middle of this century due to global warming, Azernews reports.

It was stated that the disappearance of glaciers is inevitable regardless of climate and rainfall.

According to the publication, by the end of the XXI century, glaciers with an area of up to 2 square kilometers will completely melt in this region, and only a third of glaciers with an area of up to 10 square kilometers will remain. It was noted that the total area of glaciers in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has decreased by 11.7 percent over the past 50 years due to global warming.

He noted that accelerated melting will lead to an increase in water consumption. In the next 20 years, a less significant ice sheet may appear.

Glaciers are considered the main source of water in the arid northwest region of China. According to official data, the area of glaciers in Xinjiang is 22,600 square kilometers.