Published April 17, 2012
Like the Arctic, the High Andes are one of the natural environments where the early impacts of climate change are most clearly visible. Home to the vast majority of the world’s tropical glaciers, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru have seen roughly half of their ice cover disappear in the last three or four decades. More will be lost as the snowline is expected to rise by roughly 200 meters (650 feet) for every 1°C temperature increase. Antisana, Ecuador’s fourth highest mountain, helps supply Quito with water and has been particularly badly hit.