Exploitation of Tibet’s Natural resources by China

Tibet being the source of fresh water and glaciers for major rivers of Asia is referred as the “The third pole”.

Tibetans have experienced waves of genocide since the 1950s. Now they are facing ecocide, the reckless destruction of their fragile environment.

Under China’s red regime and its expansionist policy, there began the environmental destruction, degradation and exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources. 

China has attained the dubious distinction of taking the lead role in climate change. Outside the Arctic and Antarctica, the Tibetan plateau glacier has the largest store of ice on earth. The Himalayan snowcaps are in meltdown mode due to Climate change.

Tibet being the source of fresh water and glaciers for major rivers of Asia is referred as the “The third pole”. Tibet is the ice-box of Asia, with glaciers acting as major water-keeper for the entire region.

Temperatures on the Tibetan plateau have warmed by 0.5 F per decade over the past 30 years, twice the rate of global temperature increases. Scientists believe that 40% of Tibet’s glaciers will be gone by the year 2050.

In terms of human impact, meltdown of the Tibetan plateau glaciers will have far greater repercussions.

Tibet has very powerful rivers, with the potential to generate huge amounts of hydropower. The mighty rivers of Tibet are being dammed by Chinese engineering consortiums to feed the mainland’s relentless quest for power.

Incessant taming and construction on the Yarlung river or Brahmaputra is a huge threat to downstream nations of India and Bangladesh.

With the possible diversion being a huge threat to India, dams, canals, water resource supply and irrigation systems can be made into a political weapons to be wielded during war times as a leverage and  tactical strategy to be implemented at any given situation.

China is measuring its capability to go beyond geographical marvels to divert the waters of the Yarlung Zangpo at the great U Bend towards the depleting waters of the Hwang Ho yellow river which is drying up fast due to similar exploitation by industries and cities.

Tibet’s environment is critically important to the sustainability of development of Asia and even to the survival of continent’s billions who live downstream.

CCP never shared plans with downstream countries. It is absolutely impossible to get information from CCP but the cost of choking water would have tremendous consequences.

Even some Chinese scientists also admit that the outlook is grim as they follow the dictates of Beijing and it is too late now to reverse the ecological damage.

Tibetan people are helpless before the brutal CCP forces. Of course, China has no regard or thought except for their own selfish gain, as can be seen from their policy and law enactments. Such utter disregard which is only a means for their selfish purpose is highly condemnable.

The impact and damage to Tibet’s environment will cause huge frequency of earthquakes and floods in the surrounding areas and will have huge economic repercussions, and lead to massive displacement and irreparable losses of huge proportions and increase conflicts will all neighbouring countries.

India hasn’t taken BRI but the weaker nations in the periphery like Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand have embraced as they fear that China can switch off water supply at any point of time.

Therefore, China has been trapping economically backward countries by providing soft loans and taking away a chunk or piece by piece taking over other sovereign country’s lands who are unable to pay back the loan in interest and eventually succumbing to their ploy.

Due to its very close proximity to the Indian borders and the threat it poses, China is a huge threat to all surrounding nations in its vicinity. There have been intermittent skirmishes between Chinese and Indian troops over territorial claims at borders of Tibet, but now the battleground appears to have shifted to water politics.

The repercussions and the aftermath of the current situation in Tibet will affect a lot more people and the surrounding areas and rivers downstream than what are anticipated.

The current situation is grave and needs to be put to a complete stop and actions need to be taken for Tibet’s freedom of basic human rights and fundamental values or else it will have serious implications and losses for everyone is the foreseeable future.

Therefore, it is of grave urgency for countries to understand Chinese diplomacy as well as curb their expansionist policy and never ending thirst to encroach and take over sovereign lands like Tibet. 

Worldwide countries should join hands to handle China’s belligerent attitude.