THE CONTEXT: Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned climate activist and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, launched a 21-day climate fast on March 6, 2024, in Ladakh to demand constitutional safeguards and protection for the region’s fragile ecosystem from the rapid infrastructure development taking place there. The Himalayan region often called the Third Pole, is home to around 15,000 glaciers that play a crucial role in the hydrological process but are at risk due to global warming and climate change.
ISSUES:
- Climate Change and Environmental Impact: Climate change has damaging effects on the Himalayan region, including floods, drought, landslides, and releasing greenhouse gases and pollutants. The melting of Himalayan glaciers, which are crucial for the hydrological process of major rivers, poses a significant risk due to global warming.
- Indigenous Livelihoods: Most Ladakh comprises indigenous tribes that lead pastoral lives and depend on farming and animal rearing. Environmental changes and infrastructure developments threaten their traditional ways of living and livelihoods.
- Rapid Infrastructure Development: Following Ladakh’s designation as a Union Territory, there has been a surge in infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, tunnels, and solar energy projects. Despite the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) being launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to assess the Himalayas’ vulnerability, numerous mega infrastructure projects have been rapidly undertaken in Ladakh without proper risk assessment and safety measures, threatening the region’s delicate ecosystem.
- Governmental Oversight: Why are government bodies rapidly sanctioning and executing projects without heeding past disaster warnings and learning from them. It suggests a lack of due diligence in risk assessment and safety measures for these projects.
- Past Disasters as Warnings: Several past disasters in the Himalayan region, such as the Kedarnath flash floods and the Joshimath and Silkyara tunnel incidents, resulted in loss of life and livelihoods. These events serve as warnings about the potential consequences of unchecked development.
- Ignoring Expert Advice: Expert committees have made recommendations, such as limiting the number of pilgrims to Himalayan shrines and avoiding hydroelectric projects in sensitive zones, which have been largely ignored, leading to increased vulnerability to disasters.
- Human Cost of Development: The human cost of environmental destruction is often borne by the most vulnerable, including poor migrant workers and residents. At the same time, those sanctioning and executing the projects are not held accountable.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Strengthening Environmental Governance: Enforce stringent environmental regulations for infrastructure projects, including mandatory ecological impact assessments (EIAs) that consider the cumulative impact of projects on the ecosystem. Establish independent monitoring bodies to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and the implementation of mitigation measures.
- Promoting Sustainable Development: Prioritize using green technologies and materials in construction to minimize ecological footprints. Infrastructure designs should incorporate disaster resilience and environmental sensitivity. Based on carrying capacity studies, large-scale infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive and disaster-prone areas, particularly in the para-glacial zones, are restricted.
- Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Enhance the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) by integrating local climate action plans that address the region’s specific vulnerabilities. Encourage using solar, wind, and small hydroelectric power sources within the area to reduce dependence on large hydroelectric projects that pose ecological risks.
- Community Engagement and Empowerment: To safeguard their rights and livelihoods and ensure the participation of indigenous tribes and local communities in the planning and implementation of development projects. Invest in education and training programs for local communities to engage in sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism, and conservation efforts.
- Research and Knowledge Sharing: Foster research on Himalayan ecology, climate change impacts, and sustainable development solutions. This includes supporting institutions like the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Encourage data sharing and joint initiatives among Himalayan countries to address transboundary environmental and climate challenges.
- Disaster Risk Reduction: Develop and deploy advanced early warning systems for floods, landslides, and other climate-induced disasters to minimize human and material losses. Build local capacities for disaster response and recovery, including training community-based disaster response teams.
THE CONCLUSION:
The Himalayan region’s unique ecological and cultural landscape requires a balanced approach that harmonizes development needs with environmental conservation. By implementing the above recommendations, it is possible to safeguard the Himalayas for future generations while ensuring the well-being and prosperity of its current inhabitants. This comprehensive solution framework calls for the collective action of governments, international bodies, civil society, and local communities to address the multifaceted challenges facing the Himalayan region.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q.1 Dam failures are always catastrophic, especially downstream, resulting in a colossal loss of life and property. Analyze the various causes of dam failures. Give two examples of large dam failures. 2023
Q.2 Concerning National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines, discuss the measures to be adopted to mitigate the impact of the recent incidents of cloudbursts in many places of Uttarakhand. 2016
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Critically evaluate the role of government agencies and policies, such as the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE), in addressing the challenges of climate change and sustainable development in the Himalayas.
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