The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is a unique geographic region including the Himalayas and other surrounding mountain ranges. The TP is the highest and most extensive highland in the world and exerts a huge influence on regional and global climate and hydrology through dynamic, mechanical, and thermal forcing mechanisms. The headwater areas of many major rivers in the eastern part of Asia are located in TP. Therefore, surface conditions over the TP have always been an important research topic in earth science. In the past several decades, significant progress has been achieved in understanding the conditions of TP’s surface and climate through both observational and theoretical researches. Meanwhile, new scientific problems have been identified and require further in-depth studies. In the 21st century, understanding the TP’s role in the global climate and environmental variability and change has become more prominent and has gained more scientific attention in light of the global warming. The unique interactions among the land surface multi-spheres (cryosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and anthroposphere) over the TP and their interactions with atmosphere significantly influence social and economic development of surrounding countries.