The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
- Adria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- AsiaPacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Borneo
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Caucasus
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- European Policy Office
- Finland
Our News
Climate Witness: Chung Kin Man
Chung Kin Man is a veteran mountaineer and the first Hong Konger reached 7 continental summit including the Mount Everest. Throughout his 30 years of mountaineering, he has witnessed the impact of climate change at mountain peaks. He worries that our next generation may never see snow atop mountain peaks if the current rate of glacier retreat continues.
In 1978, I reached the summit of Mont Blanc in Europe, I will never forget the beautiful sight at I witnessed at 4,800 meters. The mountain was fully covered by glittering snow — it was astonishing. Two decades later, I returned to the same spot. I had an unpleasant experience witnessing the extent to which the glacier had retreated on Mont Blanc within such a short period of time.
And it was not just a single incident. In 2001, I reached the North Pole on ski, and was shocked to see the melting icebergs. I did not expect to find the impact of climate change there. We also had difficulties locating a solid ice foundation to build a research and supply station.
Nature is warning us that climate change is already at our doorstep. We should try our very best to combat climate change.
Glacier retreat is life-threatening to mountaineers. Usually, we start trekking on snow-covered mountains in the middle of the night, in order to summit during daylight. It is the coldest time and the frozen snow fixes the rocks at the summit. This keeps us safe.
However, if glacier retreat is occurring, the snow melts more quickly and the rocks can fall easily. Even a palm-sized stone pose a significant threat if it falls from the top of the mountain. We may eventually have to terminate our mountain exploration if the glaciers continue to retreat.
Over the next few decades, I believe the climate issue will worsen and glacier retreat will become even more serious. I am worried that our next generation will never be able to climb across the snow of mountains again. The beautiful scenery of snow-covered mountain summits will be forgotten, to be found only in old photographs.
More climate witness stories