Editorial | Climate change hits hard

The Himalayan glaciers, which feed the Valley’s rivers and sustain life across north India, are melting faster due to rising temperatures. Studies have shown that glaciers in Kashmir’s Pir Panjal and Greater Himalayas are retreating at a rate never seen before. Snowfall is no longer consistent; spring arrives early, and winters are warmer. Once-regular snow in December now appears in January or not at all. In 2023 and 2024, Srinagar witnessed its warmest winters in decades, with record-low snowfall.

Kashmir’s agrarian economy, based so much on consistent weather, is especially at risk. Farmers, already coping with pests and soil loss, must now contend with an uncertain monsoon and uneven rainfall. Seasonal crops such as paddy, apple, and saffron are being devastated. The apple industry the mainstay of Kashmir’s economy is experiencing early blooming and out-of-season rains that destroy whole crops. Even Pampore’s famous saffron has experienced lesser yield, directly attributed to altered patterns of rainfall and increased temperatures.

These disruptions are not isolated. A weak winter affects irrigation for spring sowing. A delayed monsoon shifts harvesting cycles. Heat stress damages not only crops but also livestock. Entire rural economies dependent on the timing of the seasons are at stake.

Weather change is also casting a shadow on tourism, another economic pillar of Kashmir. Once famous for its winter sports and snow tourism, Gulmarg is struggling to maintain snow cover. Ski slopes that opened in December are now opening in January or even February. In the summer months, soaring temperatures and drying lakes dissuade many visitors.

The climate on which the fame of the region as a paradise on earth rests largely depends. If the climate collapses, the image of Kashmir as a tourist destination will not be immune from damage either. The economic implications of that could spell doom for thousands of families reliant on the industry.

The effect of weather change is not only economic but also humanitarian. The floods of 2014 are still fresh in people’s memory. Scientists predict that the probability of such extreme weather conditions is on the rise. Cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods are now a common occurrence, particularly in hilly areas such as Doda, Kulgam, and Kupwara.

At the same time, some areas of Kashmir are experiencing longer spells of dry weather, resulting in drought-like situations. Shortages of drinking water are being faced even in locations that were once teeming with natural springs.

The gradual melting away of glaciers such as Kolahoi hitherto thought of as the Valley’s “water tower” means Kashmir’s water security is also at risk.

Climate-induced displacement is a growing concern. Entire hamlets have been forced to move due to landslides and floods. If these trends continue, climate refugees within Kashmir could become a painful new reality.

Policy Paralysis Must End

Despite growing evidence, there is little urgency in the government’s response. Kashmir’s environmental policies remain weakly implemented. Urban development continues unchecked, often at the cost of wetlands and forests. Illegal construction around Dal and Wular lakes is reducing their capacity to act as flood buffers. Similarly, afforestation programs exist more on paper than in the field.

Jammu and Kashmir lacks climate-specific policy. Although the Union Territory drafted a State Action Plan on Climate Change in 2014, implementation is very poor, and updates are rarely done. The hope of new environmental attention following the latest reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory has since faded.

There is still time to act but not much. Policymakers need to recognize that climate resilience is not an environmental luxury but an economic necessity. Reviving traditional water bodies, restoring wetlands, enforcing construction bans in flood zones, and promoting green energy should be the pillars of Kashmir’s climate strategy.

Early warning systems for weather must be improved, particularly in rural and hilly areas. Farmers have to be helped to shift to new crop seasons through insurance, weather alerts, and subsidies for climate-resistant seeds.

 Large-scale tourism is suffocating sensitive ecosystems. A shift to ecotourism, with regulated numbers and enhanced environmental standards, can help conserve nature as well as jobs.

Kashmir’s education system must also integrate climate literacy. A younger generation aware of the crisis can become the custodians of sustainability.

Community Role is Crucial

Citizens must also play their part. Unregulated deforestation, waste dumping, and groundwater overuse are local actions that worsen global threats. Civil society, religious institutions, and youth groups can drive awareness and behavior change.

Traditional wisdom long abandoned must be returned to environmental planning. For generations, Kashmiris lived in tandem with nature through shared water and forest preservation. That knowledge must be recovered now.

The climate crisis in Kashmir is not about an environmental issue anymore; it’s a matter of justice. A place already violated for decades now suffers ecological vulnerability at the hands of nature. The people of Kashmir contribute very less to global emissions, yet they face the sharpest consequences.

It’s time for both local governments and the national leadership to treat climate change as the most urgent issue facing the Valley. What is at stake is not just the beauty of a place but the survival of its people, its economy, and its future.

Let Kashmir not become the next warning tale of climate neglect. Let it instead become a model of resilience, sustainability, and ecological harmony.