Glaciers are important indicators of global warming and climate change in several ways. Glaciers are sentinels of climate change. They are the most visible evidence of global warming today. In addition to raising sea water levels, widespread loss of glaciers will likely alter climate patterns in other, complex ways. In order to prevent, northern Italy's Presena glacier from further shrinking, climate experts are now covering Presena glacier with long strips of cloth which will reflect the sun's rays and prevent the snow beneath from melting.
Reportedly, around 70% of the snow can be saved over the summer with the protective covering which works in the same way as a silver reflective guard placed in a car window to stop overheating.
It is a tedious task to cover some 120,000 square metres of the glacier. The process has been carried out every year since 2008.
Watch the video here:
Glaciologist Christian Casarotto of Trento science museum told Reuters, "Glaciers and their retreat are perhaps the most striking manifestation of ongoing global warming. Studying glaciers, therefore, becomes important in order to understand the direction in which we are heading and to be able to correct it."
However, the viral video has cause rage on social media as people are disheartened that we have reached such a devastating point.
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Italy isn't the only country that is dealing with the crisis of melting glaciers. We need to understand that climate change is for real. In India, a portion of the popular Nanda Devi glacier broke off near Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district in the month of February. It triggered a spate of natural calamities like massive flash floods in the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers, washing away some people alive, trapping many under landslide debris and destroying several houses.
