As the COP28 summit unfolds in the UAE, the world has one more opportunity to get serious about the need to address climate change wreaking havoc across the world. Reports from the World Food Program indicate that 56.8 million people across 12 nations faced acute food insecurity due to climate extremes in 2022. This escalating crisis has led a staggering 110 million individuals to flee their homes in 2023, driven by a combination of climate-related disasters and conflicts. Countries, like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, face many deaths in extreme heat, particularly in densely populated urban areas. What is more, the surge in extreme weather events is increasing PTSD, anxiety, and depression among survivors of hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.
Kashmir Valley has not been immune to the changes in climate as the weather events in recent years have underlined. In fact, the global climate crisis is starkly mirrored in the fragile ecosystem of Kashmir. From erratic weather patterns to heatwaves, Kashmir has been experiencing the same changes as on the global level. The changes are not mere aberrations but harbingers of a dire future if immediate actions are not taken.
For example, one of the victims of climate change has been the Valley’s apple and saffron production, which have suffered irreparable damage due to soaring temperatures, causing significant economic repercussions.
On a bigger scale and which has consequences beyond the boundaries of Jammu and Kashmir, the rising temperatures have led to a rapid retreat of glaciers. Over the past six decades, Jammu and Kashmir has seen a staggering 25 percent reduction in glacier size, a trend exacerbated by the looming threat of climate change. If left unchecked, 48 percent of these vital sources of water could vanish by the end of the century.
Jammu and Kashmir boasts approximately 18,000 glaciers, including large ones like the Siachen glacier, spanning an impressive 65 kilometers in length and towering 500 to 600 meters in thickness. These glaciers are an invaluable resource, serving as a lifeline for the region, providing water for agriculture. However, with temperatures on the rise due to climate change, these glaciers are melting at an accelerated pace.
The world leaders meeting in the UAE must recognize the urgency of the global crisis and move beyond rhetoric to concrete action. Commitments to reducing carbon emissions, safeguarding water bodies, and preserving fragile ecosystems like the Himalayas should not remain mere pledges but translate into enforceable policies.
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