[Reader-list] Fwd: Climate change in Ladakh

[Nagraj Adve]

Ravleen, you're right. I noticed it too but since her main theme was the
effects of changing precipitation in Ladakh, I forwarded it without comment.

Her article was particularly sobering since these are regions with very
little natural rainfall, hence less snow will seriously impact post-monsoon
water supply access. One might then see a forced migration, a displacement
that is no less than those by industrial projects or by SEZs and no less
linked to capitalism.
My initial chats with folks from here and there who are engaged in
agriculture suggest that changing rainfall patterns have either been
changing since 15 years or have been perceived by them since then, probably
the latter (but these are two few or initial to say with conviction). One
gets the feeling we are reacting too little too late. It's also a
peculiarity here that massive economic or health or social crises can unfold
with little reaction outside the areas or people affected.
Naga

On 19/05/2009, ravleen saluja <ravleen2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> Just wanted to point out an error in this piece, which might have been a
> typo, but does make a difference. Ms Shiva says:
>
> "The Gangotri glacier, the source of the Ganga is receding at 20-23 miles
> per
> year. Millam glacier is receding at 30m/yr, Dokrani is retreating at
> 15-20m/yr."
>
> The total length of Gangotri is 30 kms so it possibly cannot be receding at
> the rate of 20-23 miles per year. When I went to Gaumukh, researchers at the
> field stations of various departments posted there told me that it is
> anything between 5-15 metres per year. Back in Delhi, even this estimate has
> been exaggerated but its certainly not 20-23 miles per year. I am not saying
> at all that global warming is not taking place but such figurative error can
> sensationalise the situation unneccarily.
>
> regards
>
> ravleen
>
>  On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Nagraj Adve <nagraj.adve at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> A rather significant piece, by Vandana Shiva, on climate change impacts in
>> Ladakh.
>> Naga
>>
>>
>> Climate Change at the Third Pole
>>
>>
>>
>> May 16, 2009 By *Vandana Shiva
>> *
>> Vandana Shiva's ZSpace Page / ZSpace
>>
>>
>> I write from Ladakh, where we are studying the impact of climate change
>> and
>> evolving participatory adaptation and disaster preparedness strategies
>> with
>> local communities.
>>
>> The melting of snow in the Arctic and Antartic due to global warming and
>> climate change is reported frequently. However, the melting of the
>> Himalayan
>> glaciers goes largely unreported, even though more people are impacted.
>>
>> Presently 10% of the earth's landmass is covered with snow, with 84.16% in
>> the Antartic, 13.9% in Greenland, 0.77% in the Himalaya, 0.51% in North
>> America, 0.37% in Africa, 0.15% in South America, 0.06% in Europe. Outside
>> the polar region, Himalaya has the maximum concentration of glaciers.
>> 9.04%
>> of the Himalaya is covered with glaciers, with 30-40% additional area
>> being
>> covered with snow.
>>
>> The glaciers of the Himalaya are the Third Pole. They feed the giant
>> rivers
>> of Asia, and support half of humanity.
>>
>> In Ladakh, the northern most region of India, all life depends on snow.
>> Ladakh is a high altitude desert with only 50mm of rainfall. Ladakh's
>> water
>> comes from the snow melt - both the snow that falls on the land and
>> provides
>> the moisture for farming and pastures, as well as the snow of the glaciers
>> that gently melts and feeds the streams that are the lifeline of the tiny
>> settlements.
>>
>> For centuries snow has supported human survival in Ladakh.
>>
>> Climate change is changing this. Less snow is falling, so there is less
>> moisture for growing crops. In village after village, we are witnessing
>> the
>> end of farming where snow melt on the fields was the only source of
>> moisture.
>>
>> Reduced snowfall also means less snow in glaciers, and less streamflow.
>> The
>> shorter period of snowfall prevents the snow from turning into hard ice
>> crystals. Therefore more of the glacier is liable to melt when the summer
>> comes.
>>
>> Climate change has also led to rain, rather than snow, falling even at
>> higher altitudes. This also accelerates the melting of glaciers.
>>
>> Meantime, heavy rainfall which was unknown in the high altitude desert has
>> become more frequent, causing flash floods, washing away homes and fields,
>> trees and livestock. Climate refugees are already being created in the
>> Himalaya in villages such as Rongjuk. As one of the displaced women said
>> "when we see the black clouds, we feel afraid."
>>
>> The arrival of black clouds and disappearance of white snow in the cold
>> desert is how climate change is entering the life of the Ladakhi
>> communities. They did not cause the pollution, but they are its victims.
>> This is the direct and cruel face of climate injustice - the polluters
>> continue to pollute, they are insulated from the impact of their own
>> actions. Others, thousands of miles away bear the brunt of greenhouse gas
>> pollution.
>>
>> India has 5243 glaciers covering an area of 37579 km2 and containing
>> 142.88
>> km2 of ice.
>>
>> The Gangotri glacier, the source of the Ganga is receding at 20-23 miles
>> per
>> year. Millam glacier is receding at 30m/yr, Dokrani is retreating at
>> 15-20m/yr. The receding of glaciers has accelerated with global warming.
>> The
>> rate of retreat of the gangotri glacier has tripled in the last three
>> years.
>> Some of the most devastating effects of glacial meltdown occures when
>> glacial lakes overflow and the phenomena of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods
>> (GLOFs) take place.
>>
>> Climate change thus initially leads to widespread flooding, but over time,
>> as the snow disappears there will be draught in the summer. In the Ganga,
>> the loss of glacier meltdown would reduce July - September flows by two
>> thirds, causing water shortages for 500 million people and 37 percent of
>> India's irrigated land.
>>
>> Glacial runoff in the Himalayas is the largest source of fresh water for
>> nothern India and provides more than half the water to the Ganga. Glacial
>> runoff is also the source of the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Mekong, the
>> Irrawady and the Yellow and Yantze rivers.
>>
>> According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
>> "glaciers
>> in the Himayalas are receding faster than in any other part of the world
>> and
>> if the present rate continues, the likelihood of them disappearing by the
>> year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high if the earth keep getting warmer
>> at the current rate". According to the IPCC report the total area of
>> glaciers in the Himalaya will shrink from 193051 square miles to 38,000
>> square miles by 2035.
>>
>> The lives of billions are at stake. That is why we have started a
>> participatory process for Himalayan communities to engage in the
>> discussion
>> on climate change, including issues of climate justice, adaptation and
>> disaster preparedness.
>>
>> In terms of numbers of people impacted, climate change at the Third Pole
>> is
>> the most far reaching. And no climate change policy or treaty will be
>> complete without including the Himalayan communities.
>>
>> The Government of India has set up a National Climate Action Plan which
>> has
>> eight missions. One of the missions is for sustaining the Himalayan
>> Ecosystem. However, the Himalayan communities are missing in the mission.
>> As
>> the Action Plan states "A mission for sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem
>> will be launched to evolve management measures for sustaining and
>> safeguarding the Himalayan glacier and mountain ecosystem. Himalayas,
>> being
>> the source of key perennial rives, the Mission would, inter-alia, seek to
>> understand, whether and the extent to which, the Himalayan glaciers are in
>> recession and how the problem could be addressed. This will require the
>> joint effort of climatologists, glaciologists and other experts."
>>
>> People only get introduced to protect forests "community based management
>> of
>> these ecosystems will be promoted with incentives to community
>> organizations
>> and panchayats for protection and enhancement of forested lands".
>>
>> However climate change is about more than forests. It is about flash
>> floods
>> and draught, it is about planning for a future which is not like today.
>> For
>> this people need to be partners in monitoring and planning. No government
>> machinery, no matter how sophisticated, can know every mountain, every
>> glacier, every stream, and every field. People are experts on local
>> ecosystems and the changes in their ecosystems due to a destabilized
>> climate. It is this expertise which needs to be mobilized in order to
>> evolve
>> timely strategies for adaption.
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>
>
>
> --
> Ravleen Kaur
> Senior Reporter
> Down to Earth
> Centre for Science and Environment
> 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area
> New Delhi-110062
>