The HKH Snow Update 2025 highlights a significant decline in seasonal snow across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, with snow persistence 23.6% below normal — the lowest in 23 years. This trend, now in its third consecutive year, threatens water security for nearly two billion people. All twelve major river …
The present study outlines major concerns and potential environmental consequences of the proposed Pancheshwar high dam in Uttarakhand (Central Himalaya), India. We evaluate the risks associated with the project in the light of environmental impact observed for the Tehri project in the region and the geological understanding developed over the …
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Court on its own motion Vs State of Himachal Pradesh & Others dated 06/05/2019 regarding steps for eco balance in Rohtang Pass area in the State of Himachal Pradesh. The area is eco-sensitive and frequented by the tourists. History of …
A mega earthquake of magnitude 8.5 or more is long overdue in the Himalayan region but India has not learnt from past mistakes and is far from being prepared for such an eventuality with no strategy to minimise loss of life and property, scientists say. The government must ensure seismic …
Farmers in the North West Himalayan region generally practise rainfed agriculture and have very limited scope for irrigation. Water scarcity is a major constraint for crop production in these areas. This problem exacerbates further during the Rabi season where vagaries of winter rain result in complete crop failure. This study …
"The project titled “Understanding the biodiversity of Odonata (Class Insecta) of Kashmir Himalayan Region with reference to Climate Change” has been sanctioned up to the tune of Rs.58.38 lakhs" Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora has got a major project from department of Science and technology, government of …
This synthesis report summarizes findings from a participatory assessment of socio-economic drivers, conditions, and climatic and environmental stresses leading to different levels of vulnerabilities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. The study sites included high mountain, mid-hill, and downstream regions of the Indus, Upper Ganga, Gandaki, and Teesta– a …
Lama Lobsang Gyatso, a Buddhist monk and a crusader against mega dams, has opted out of the Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh for a “greater green cause”. The Janata Dal (Secular) had given the 39-year-old monk a ticket after he had decided to challenge Chief Minister Pema Khandu in Mukto, …
For the first time, all 12 Himalayan states will use a common framework resulting in the production of comparable vulnerability maps, which will help prioritise resource allocation. Last week, IIT Guwahati, IIT Mandi and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore announced collaboration in a pan-Indian, multi-institutional initiative to develop …
NEW DELHI: More than a third of the glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) mountain range, the "water tower" of Asia, will vanish by the end of this century even if global warming is contained at 1.50 Celsius in the best case scenario, warns a report compiled by 210 …
CHANDIGARH: The wildlife wing of Himachal forest department organised the first meeting of State Level Technical Committee (SLTC) under Securing Livelihoods, Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of High Range Himalayan Ecosystem (SECURE) Himalayas project to review the work plans of different consultancy assignments and studies awarded to different agencies and …
The ministry of environment, forests and climate change has sanctioned a project, Securing Livelihoods, Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of High Range Himalayan Ecosystem (SECURE) which will be implemented primarily in the critically endangered big cat species, snow leopard’s territory across four states, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pardesh and …
The present study was undertaken with aim to understand the perceptions of indigenous communities about climate change pattern and its local impacts on climate variables, seasons, agriculture, biodiversity and adaptive strategies in geographical and technological-isolated Pangi valley situated in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. Randomly selected 120 respondents were interviewed and …
DEHRADUN: Conditions in high Himalayas are likely to be warmer than estimated, scientists at G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development in Almora have found. In a study published in the International Society for Tropical Ecology, scientists found that the Temperature Lapse Rate (change in temperature …
This document is the first comprehensive assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. It comprises important scientific research on the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable mountain development and will serve as a basis for evidence-based decision-making to safeguard the environment and advance people’s well-being. The compiled content …
This First HKH Assessment Report consists of 16 chapters, which comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the HKH region, increase the understanding of various drivers of change and their impacts, address critical data gaps and develop a set of evidence-based and actionable policy solutions and recommendations. These are …
The evaluation shows that among the six-infrastructure themes that this assessment focused on, roads seem to have the highest amount of impact on the snow leopard habitat. Experts’ ranking ranged from 61% for road to 12.4% for settlement. Impact due to high density road infrastructure on snow leopard habitat ranges …
The Himalayan region supports about 20 per cent of the world's population. But the ecologically fragile region, the storehouse of the third-highest amount of frozen water on earth, is highly vulnerable to climate change. Among the 12 states in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), Assam is found to be the …
'Himalayan Viagra' under threat from climate change: Report A prized caterpillar fungus that is more valuable than gold and is nicknamed "Himalayan Viagra" in Asia, where it is seen as a wonder drug, is becoming harder to find due to climate change, researchers said Monday. People in China and Nepal …
Cloudburst is one of the most devastating and frequently occurring natural hazardous events in Indian Himalayan region. Localized deep cumulus convective clouds have a capability of giving enormous amount of rainfall over a limited horizontal area, within a short span of time. Whenever, such events occur, lead to flash floods …
Dehradun: A study by scientists of the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in the Bhagirathi basin near Gaumukh has revealed that in the last two years, there has been a rise of at least 0.5 degree temperature accompanied by an almost 10% variation in humidity levels in upper Himalayas …
