Global Warming: 10 Vanishing Wonders

Winter tends to bring more articles about global warming because there is less of it; winter, that is.

Last Monday we referenced a National Geographic Adventure article about the changing face of Greenland as a result of global warming. Yesterday I came across a similar article about a similar theme. But instead of focusing on a singular place, 10 Wonders of the Vanishing World educates us about ten places around the globe which Observer Science Editor Robin McKie tells us “we can no longer take for granted.” Since we love to travel, he also tells us how to get there (before, of course, they disappear).

This list of endangered places is both iconic and sobering…

The snows of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania – expected to disappear if current trends continue
Skiing in Kitzbuhel, Austria – won’t be possible in 20 years
The wildebeest migration in east Africa – unlikely if the grassy plains turn to desert
Glacier National Park, United States – expected to be glacier free by 2030
The Maldives, Indian Ocean – may disappear entirely under water

Sure, there are naysayers out there who will argue that current trends won’t continue. And, I wish I could believe them. But in the meantime, I have a few more adventures to cross off my list of things to see before either I turn to dust, or they do.