India witnessing first-hand impact of climate change: Union Minister in Nepal
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday said India was witnessing the impact of climate change firsthand, resulting in the retreat of Himalayan glaciers at a fast pace.
Representing India at the inaugural session of Sagarmatha Sambaad in Kathmandu, Nepal, Yadav said, “Our mountains are sounding an alarm. Glaciers are retreating and threatening the water security for the population downstream. The ancient culture and people who live in the mountains are under threat. Himalayas bear a significant part of the burden of the environmental crisis. India witnesses these impacts firsthand.”
The global dialogue at the conference was convened under the theme ‘Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity’. Yadav stressed that South Asia accounted for only 4 per cent of the historical global carbon dioxide emissions, despite being home to nearly 25 per cent of the global population.
He said that the burden of the climate crisis continues to fall disproportionately on developing nations, while developed countries remain far from fulfilling their commitments to climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building.
“The global carbon budget is rapidly being exhausted with the developed nations continuing to disproportionately grab the remaining carbon budget,” Yadav said.
He also outlined a five-point call for global action to address the shared ecological challenges of mountainous regions. This includes enhanced scientific cooperation, building climate resilience by investing in climate adaptation measures, early warning systems for disasters like Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and climate-resilient infrastructure in mountain areas.
Yadav also underscored the importance of empowering mountain communities by ensuring that their needs and aspirations are at the heart of policy-making. He highlighted the availability of green finance so that developing nations can implement adaptation and mitigation strategies effectively.
He said it is imperative to ensure that the unique vulnerabilities and contributions of mountain ecosystems are suitably featured in global climate negotiations and sustainable development agendas.
Emphasising on the immense biodiversity value of high-altitude ecosystems like the India and Nepal region, Yadav stressed the need for enhanced transboundary conservation efforts, calling on all Himalayan nations to collaborate under the International Big Cats Alliance to support joint protection initiatives for species such as snow leopards, tigers and leopards.
“The transboundary conservation of big cats like tiger, snow leopard and leopard is vital. All Himalayan countries should spearhead the conservation of big cats. The Alliance aims to foster conservation expertise, fund critical initiatives and create a knowledge repository for the protection of these iconic species. India stands ready to partner with Nepal and all mountain nations to protect our shared ecological heritage,” he stated.
India has conducted its first comprehensive Snow Leopard Population Assessment, carried out between 2019 and 2023, which found a total of 718 snow leopards across India, representing approximately 10-15 per cent of the global population.
India