Travellers at risk from global warming on Tibet railway

BEIJING (AFP) – Climate change could present a danger to travellers using the new railway to Tibet, according to China’s top meteorologist Saturday.

Passengers using the railway which opened last year and connects eastern China to Lhasa may be put at risk by the effect of climbing temperatures, Qing Dahe, head of China’s Meteorological Bureau, told the Beijing Morning Post.


“Maintenance costs (for the railway) could be pushed up because of the unusual climatic conditions,” he said. “Safety of passengers on the new railway and a new highway in Tibet could be affected by global warming.”

Experts have voiced fears that parts of the track could become unstable, triggering derailments if warm weather melted frozen ground under the railway route.

AFP