| This research centers on a summary of scientifically observed current effects of climate change on water security in China. It postulates that climate change has the potential to affect water security, and therefore, food security, at an increasingly rapid rate in the future, and discusses the climatic mechanisms by which these potentialities could occur. Specifically, it focuses on the relationship of water sources in the Tibetan Plateau with meteorological changes brought about by climate change, challenging commonly accepted assumptions regarding the rapid melt of glacial ice there, and instead, suggests that future water scarcity in China will be more heavily affected by changes in precipitation patterns than by decreases in glacial volumes. Finally, this research discusses the role of media in forming the social awareness of populations, adopting from social science the idea that an individual's perceptions define her reality. In particular, it explores the attitudes of the Chinese state-run media toward the publication of climate change-related news stories, and the effects these attitudes have on the substance and quality of these reports, concluding that the Chinese State considers thorough and accurate information about the causes and effects of climate change to be sensitive and potentially incendiary. |
