Chart: China’s Glaciers Supply Water to Billions. They’re Vanishing

Glaciers in China’s western regions are the source of multiple rivers and supply drinking water to an estimated 1.8 billion people. Known as “Asia’s Water Tower,” they are the largest concentration of freshwater outside the planet’s polar regions.

But the glaciers are disappearing more and more quickly, according to data released by Greenpeace. The increasing rate of retreat is set to bring thirst, avalanches and floods. Click the image below to learn more about how these crucial water sources are threatened by climate change.