Climate change rapidly affecting Himalayas, need eco-friendly solutions, says J&K LG

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said climate change was taking place at an alarming pace in the Himalayas, while calling for nature-based solutions for development.

The alarming pace of climate change in the Himalayan region is highlighted by the fact that, between January and August last year, the Himalayas witnessed a natural disaster almost every day, Sinha said while addressing a climate conference at the Islamic University of Science & Technology (IUST) in Awantipora.

The LG said in Jammu and Kashmir alone, flash floods and cloudbursts have damaged public infrastructure, disrupting roads, water supply schemes, and power feeders.

He said that there is no dichotomy between development and conservation, and nature itself is infrastructure.

“For example, constructing a watershed is also an effective flood-control system. It is infrastructure that also serves as a water purification system and forms the basis of an irrigation system.

“Similarly, a wetland is nature’s vast reservoir because it absorbs excess water during the monsoon and then slowly gives life to surrounding areas during the dry months,” he said.

Sinha said a dense forested mountain slope is like a strong wall that protects the entire mountain from collapsing onto the villages below.

“Therefore, I believe that when we destroy these natural systems, we are playing with the future,” he said, urging the experts to put forward nature-based solutions for development.

While addressing the conference, he also suggested using technologies like remote sensing, geospatial mapping, and AI to track glacier retreat, spring flow, soil health, and forest cover.

“This data should inform every development project in the region. Nature-based solutions must be embedded into project budgeting, appraisal, and monitoring. Farmers, shepherds, orchard owners, and tribal communities must be equal stakeholders,” he said.

Sinha said annual budget reviews should include whether forests and ecosystems have grown richer or weaker, ensuring accountability for environmental wealth.