A remarkable revelation has emerged from a study published in the journal Earth’s Future by the prestigious scientific organization, the American Geophysical Union.
As reported by national media, Monsoon rains originating from the Indian Ocean are gradually shifting their course towards western India and Pakistan because of global warming.
The rise in global temperatures caused by human activities has already brought unique changes to the region, such as an unusually short winter in Punjab this year. The shifting direction of monsoon rains will also bring dramatic changes to Pakistan.
According to Express News, the American study suggests that within the next 70 to 80 years, monsoon rains will transform the 200,000-square-kilometer Thar Desert into a green landscape, while reduced rainfall in India’s eastern states and Bangladesh will lead to water shortages.
Assam will no longer be a global center for rainfall,the Thar Desert will become a thing of the past, and large parts of Sindh, Balochistan, and the Cholistan Desert will turn green.
It is worth noting that 7,000 to 8,000 years ago, today’s desert regions of Pakistan were lush and fertile, giving rise to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. However, as the rainfall system shifted eastward, these areas turned barren. Now, the phenomenon of global warming is set to make these regions green once again.
Interestingly, while global warming is expanding other deserts—such as the African Sahara, which is expected to grow by 6,000 square kilometers in the next 25 years—it will have the opposite effect on the Thar Desert, which could become a major hub for human activities within this century.
