Initiative to protect glaciers launched at COP28 China Pavilion

This aerial photo taken on June 16, 2023 shows a view of the Baishui River No. 1 Glacier on the Yulong Snow Mountain in Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

DUBAI, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- An initiative to protect the world's glaciers was launched here on Sunday at the China Pavilion of the COP28 climate change conference.

At the side event of COP28, or the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, delegates and scientists shared their views on the risks of melting glaciers and ways to slow down that process.

Visitors pose for photos in front of the China's pavilion at the Green Zone of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Dec. 3, 2023. Green Zone of COP28 opens to the public at the Expo City of Dubai on Sunday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

A project named "Memory of Glaciers: Global Exploration Initiative" was launched to step up research and protection of glaciers as well as raise public awareness.

Glaciers bear witness to the history of climate change on the planet, and melting glaciers will bring a series of risks aside from rising sea levels, delegates said.

Potential risks will include damage to high mountain ecosystems, increased hazards of landslides and floods, as well as losses of tourism and cultural assets, delegates added.

Measures that need to be taken include limiting global warming through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing adaptation strategies which can help reduce hazardous impacts.