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10 YEARS OF IMAGING ASIA
SPOT VEGETATION
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of poster
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Thaw
of the permafrost
Permafrost at present covers 20%
of the Earth’s land surface. Its thawing due to global
warming releases great amounts of ice-trapped methane, a very
powerful greenhouse gas.
Thawing permafrost along the
Kolyma River, Siberia. ©
Mikhail Al. Anisimov.
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Dark
Skies
Exposure to fine particles kills
2.4 million people a year, half of which in Asia. Urban
air pollution, forest fires and indoor pollution by traditional
cooking fuels are to blame.
Polluted sunset in Shanghai-
Source: www.wikimedia.org
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The
Neverending Battle with Nature
Asia tops the lists of major natural
disasters. The 10 most deadly natural disasters all occurred
in Asia, with floods, earthquakes and cyclones causing the
greatest havoc.
Beichuan after the 2008 earthquake
- Source: houston.china-consulate
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An
irreplaceable habitat
Forests in Indonesia are being cleared
at a rate of 5 football fields a minute. Their conversion
to oil palm monocultures causes a 83% loss in biodiversity.
From 1998 to 2008, 80% of orangutan
habitat has been lost - Source: Fauna
Kaltim
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Facing
seaward hazards
Growing populations and booming
economies are threatening Asia’s coastal ecosystems.
With half of the mangrove gone, inland areas are more vulnerable
to storms and erosion.
Agriculture (pink) encroaching
upon mangrove (green) - Source: NASA
Earth Observatory
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