Latest comments posted about Xinjiang’s melting glaciers on ChinaDialogue en-gb http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/1820-Xinjiang-s-melting-glaciers http://staging.chinadialogue.net/images/cdlogo.gif http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/1820-Xinjiang-s-melting-glaciers Building a mega-city that close to a glacier is not a good idea. As is typical in any major metropolis, as the technology increases, so does the usage of motor vehicles. This creates smog that will affect the local microclimate and the glacier will melt at an alarming rate. If they are determined to build this city, then resevoirs may be their only hope. -Thomas Payne Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:56:01 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/1820#comment-7300 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/1820#comment-7300 It appears that the sustainable efforts of Urumqi will be a hard fought process. The expansion of ski resorts supported by man made snow (thus use of water resources) creates a huge deficit that the town can draw on the glacial runoff to replenish, but with that diminishing resource, all the money being put into the region to boost the economy will ultimately be a waste if the town cannot exist without the natural glacial reservoirs. A question I have is which is more important to china, the sustainability of natural resources or economic growth? When China stands at such a rapidly growing economy, it is my fear that the continued growth will be the priority and the lost resources and natural processes that are sacrificed for that cause will only be realized when it is too late. TRS Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:26:57 -0400 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/1820#comment-7178 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/1820#comment-7178