COP30: Time for Action on the Himalayan Region
Varuna Shankar and Jagannath Panda
The Himalayas have faced unprecedented ecological, weather-related, and geotectonic disasters, exacerbated by human activity, disrupting ecosystems and local livelihoods. Despite these pressing issues, international climate discussions, particularly at COP29, largely marginalized the Himalayan crisis, including Tibet’s environmental degradation. Adding to this is China’s development policies that have particularly led to the current crisis situation. Beijing has pursued large-scale infrastructure projects, mining, and water diversion schemes, which threaten both the region’s ecology and downstream countries.
Ongoing research mostly emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced global cooperation and a transformative approach to climate action to facilitate monitoring of the region’s environmental changes. Due to its complex geography and socio-political dynamics, this has been a challenging process. However, as COP30 approaches, there is a critical need to make the Hindu Kush Himalayan region is the focal point in global climate discussions. This entails integration across scientific, policy, and local knowledge to address the Himalayan region’s climate challenges, ensuring its ecosystems and communities are prioritized in global climate strategies.
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