| Asian Brown Cloud |
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This pollution layer was observed during the Indian Ocean Experiment (INODEX) intensive field observation in 1999. Subsequently the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been supporting a project called ABC (still ongoing in 2007). Although aerosol particles are generally associated with a global cooling effect, recent studies have shown that they can actually have a warming effect in certain regions such as the Himalayas .1 The warming effect of the Asian Brown Cloud may be an important factor in the retreat of the Himalayan glaciers. The United Nations Environment Program is worried that Asian glacial melting could lead to water shortages and floods for the hundreds of millions of people who live downstream. A recent CSIRO study found that the Asian Brown Cloud is also having a significant impact on rainfall patterns in Australia.2 SOLUTIONS Because the main causes of the Asian Brown Cloud are anthropogenic, it is possible that the negative effects of the cloud can be mitigated by implementing changes in human practices. For example, a huge proportion of the cloud comes from people burning wood and dung to cook their food. By converting to cleaner fuels, it may be possible to reduce the size of the cloud. Asian cloud blamed for glacial melting, ''ABC News Online'' REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
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