The treasured 'eternal snow' on this tropical island is about to disappear forever
Climate change is transforming Papua's snowy peaks, which hold scientific value and spiritual significance.
Reporting preview
Only small patches of snow remain on Papua's Sudirman Range
The mountains of Papua are not far from the equator, but they've been topped with "eternal snow" for centuries.
The peaks in this Indonesian region on the world's second-largest island, just north of Australia, have offered scientists countless insights into the Earth's climate history.
They're also the epicentre of the spiritual universe for many Papuans - a Mecca or a Vatican, as one activist puts it.
A century ago, the 300km (190-mile) stretch of the Sudirman Range had snow and permanent ice on all four of its major peaks.
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