New report finds slow, scattered implementation of Centre’s mission to protect Himalayan region
The report was released on the sidelines of the Cities of Care Conference, inaugurated by University of Toronto India Foundation with IIT Madras
A new sustainability report has flagged slow and scattered implementation of the Centre's National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system (NMSHE), launched in 2010 to build a knowledge-based and adaptive framework for sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem.
The report was released by revolve media at cities of care conference organised by University of Toronto India Foundation and IIT Madras.
“While it laid the groundwork for research through nodal institutions like the GB Pant Institute and state climate cells, the translation of this knowledge into policy and community resilience remains limited,” the report read and remarked that protecting the Himalayas will be a litmus test for climate leadership in the Global South.
It warned that the fragile Himalayan region is under serious threat, with glaciers melting at a faster pace, changing rain patterns, and a rise in floods and landslides.
NMSHE aimed to enhance understanding of climate impacts, support sustainable development of mountain communities, and conserve biodiversity and water resources. The mission promised monitoring glaciers and permafrost, studying traditional knowledge systems, and adopting an integrated scientific and community-oriented approach.
“However, the mission’s progress has been slow and scattered. Institutional silos, funding constraints, and a lack of real-time data sharing between central and state agencies have hindered its effectiveness,” the report said.
Citing examples of recent disasters, including cloudbursts in Uttarakhand, floods in Sikkim, and the melting of the Chorabari glacier, the report underscored the urgency of building a dynamic and decentralised early warning and climate adaptation system.
“One of the mission’s key mandates was to evolve strategies for sustainable tourism, urbanisation, and hydropower in the fragile region. But in reality, unregulated development has continued. Roads cut hastily through mountains, dams constructed without adequate ecological assessments, and booming tourist footfall, all increase landslide and flood vulnerability,” it observed.
The report suggested strengthening the mission through better coordination with state governments, integration with district-level climate action plans, and collaboration with ongoing scientific efforts.
“For instance, the CryoSCOPE project, co-funded by the European Union and the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences, brings together 19 partners across eight countries, including IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee and the University of Kashmir, to study cryospheric changes in the Himalayas. Going forward, the mission must move from passive data collection to proactive climate risk reduction. This includes developing glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) prediction models, mapping permafrost zones, and empowering local panchayats with climate-resilient practices,” the report documenting how India’s climate action is being shaped at national, state and city levels said.
The report was released on the sidelines of the Cities of Care Conference, inaugurated by UTIF in collaboration with IIT Madras’ School of Sustainability and the University of Toronto’s School of Cities at the IIT Madras Research Park.
