A climate change journey from the mountains to the sea

Map of thrip Photograph: guardian.co.uk

2 We flew through the Annapurna mountains, which are warming much faster than anywhere else in the world. Photograph: guardian.co.uk

3 The Thulage glacier comes off an 8000m peak..... Photograph: guardian.co.uk

4 ...but the Thulagi glacier is retreating around 50m a year. At its snout is now a glacial lake that threatens to break through a wall of earth and spill billions of litres down the valley.. Photograph: guardian.co.uk

(7 .new one??) First stop was Jonsom, a small town in the mountains. It used to get metres of snow every winter.. but last year it got none Photograph: guardian.co.uk

5 The rivers that start in Nepal's mountains provide life for 700m people downstream in India and Bangladesh... Photograph: guardian.co.uk

9 But 100 miles south in the foothills of the Himalayas, people depend on wood. It has led to enormous deforestation Photograph: guardian.co.uk

10 So Britain is putting in money to community groups like this one which manages the trees. The Copenhagen talks should see much more money going to forest protection Photograph: guardian.co.uk

The rivers grow in size but 50 miles further south, the Khosi river broke its banks last year. Climate change could make this kind of disaster more common Photograph: Manpreet Romana/guardian.co.uk

The rivers grow in size but 50 miles further south, the Khosi river broke its banks last year. Climate change could make this kind of disaster more common Photograph: Ranjan Rahi/guardian.co.uk

12. It flooded thousands of square kilometres in Nepal and India and left 50,000 homeless and a vast sea of sand six feet deep Photograph: guardian.co.uk

The Khosi joins the Ganges, India’s river of peace Photograph: guardian.co.uk

13 We crossed into India. Photograph: guardian.co.uk

15 In Kolkata we found India developing fast. It will be a key player in the climate talks has pledged to cut its emissions (bridge, JV) Photograph: guardian.co.uk

The great rivers head south to but India wants to dam and divert them to provide hydro electricty and water for its drought areas. It would be clean power but it could cut off some of Bangladesh's water Photograph: guardian.co.uk

20 We reached Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, which is the world’s fastest growng mega city which is now twice the size of London Photograph: guardian.co.uk

This week India promised to instal 20 GW of solar electricty by 2020. Some will come from developments like this solar village outside Calcutta. Houses here were snapped up in a few days Photograph: Bikas Rauniar Photograph: guardian.co.uk

17 From Kolkata we headed east on the “Maitree express”, the new freiendship” train between India and Bangladesh..... Photograph: guardian.co.uk

18 The route crossed the Ganges , by now miles wide and one of the great rivers of the world..... Photograph: guardian.co.uk

19 Climate change has meant it it flows differently and it's harder for farmers to grow food. The rains come erratically ... Photograph: guardian.co.uk

21. Its slums get bigger as people whose homes have been destyroyed by increaseed numbers of cyclones, flood into the city Photograph: guardian.co.uk

21. Its slums get bigger as people whose homes have been destyroyed by increaseed numbers of cyclones, flood into the city Photograph: guardian.co.uk

22 The number of extremely hot days in Dhaka has risen 400% in just last 10 years Photograph: guardian.co.uk

23 ... and the number of people hospitalised with heat stress, cholera and stomach dieseases has grown, too Photograph: guardian.co.uk

24 The end of the journey was on the coast of Bangledesh. Here villages are being flooded regularly, and people must drink salt water... they need money to relocate or protect themselves Photograph: guardian.co.uk

25 In Bolihut village all the women said they wanted to move because of the rising sea levels. They feared their children would be swept away Photograph: guardian.co.uk

26 This is where all the rivers that start high in the mniountains of Nepal end. Climate change has affected everyone from the highest places to the lowest Photograph: guardian.co.uk