Halong Glacier, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. View of the mountain range looking back from the glacier.During the past 30 years the Tibetan plateau has warmed by 1 degree increasing rates of glacial retreat. From 1966 to 2000, glaciers in the Yellow River Source region retreated by 17% in area, causing the loss of 2.39 billion m3 of water from source of the river.