She is a Social Worker who has worked with NGOs in Leh on their Education and Environment sector.  In our interview with her we will talk about how climate change has affected our environment and what does the future of Ladakh look like. She has attended the International Conference of Parties (COP) twice & presented a paper on “Impacts on Climate Change in Ladakh and Lahul & Spiti.” 

Q. Tell us about your childhood and your education qualifications 

After having studied in Moravian mission School, Leh till 1st Std I completed my High School Education from Sacred Heart High School Convent, Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh in the year 1995. The following two years I took up Arts in DPS, Noida. Then I did BA(Hons.) in English from Lady’s Shri Ram College, Delhi University. Further, I completed my Masters in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), Mumbai with a specialization in Urban and Rural Community Development. During my college years, I worked for an NGO Pragya in Delhi and in Ladakh at SECMOL. Working here inspired me to take up Social Work as a subject of study in MA and with the experiences that I had here helped me get selected in TISS, Mumbai.

Q. As a Social Worker on Environment, Climate Change and Educating children, how has your experience been in these sectors? 

My first job was with Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG), then I worked with a Delhi-based NGO for Environment called Winrock International for four years, I have also worked with a European NGO, Groupe Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités(GERES) on a project called Environment and Climate Change. Apart from all these for the last five years I worked with the NGO, Save the Children on their education projects. At LEDeG, Winrock and GERES I got the opportunity to work on Environment and Climate Change Projects where I met people from various parts of India and foreign countries. Also having worked with NGO Save the Children I got the opportunity to visit many remote areas of Ladakh and Kashmir. All this has helped me understand the existing conditions of the people, children and the environment in our region.  I feel that throughout my work as a Social worker I have always learned more and it has enriched my knowledge. These works were very challenging and because of that I never felt stagnated and this helped me grow professionally and personally. 

Q. Have you participated in conferences on climate change in and outside India?

I attended a 15-day training session on Climate Change and Carbon Finance held in Cambodia in 2008. Then, I participated in international seminars organised by International Association of Ladakh Studies in Leh (2009), Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) in Srinagar (2009), and GERES in Leh (2009). I have also attended the International Conference of Parties (COP) twice. It is one of the largest forums in the world that brings leaders from around the world to discuss Climate change, its impacts and mitigating measures. I went for COP 14(2008) in Poland and then participated in the same conference COP 15 (2009) at Copenhagen, with Mr.Tsewang Norphel. In these conferences, my presentation was about Impacts on Climate Change in Ladakh and Lahul & Spiti.

Q. Tell us about your published paper on Ladakh’s climate? 

“Impact of Climate Change in Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti of Western Himalayan region” was the paper that Dr. S.N Mishra and I had presented in April 2009 in the International Seminar on ‘Energy and Climate Change in cold regions in Asia’ organised by GERES in Leh. Then along with a colleague at GERES, Leo Philipp Heiniger from Switzerland, this paper was extended into an elaborate research publication ‘Impact of Climate Change on Local livelihood in the cold deserts of the western Himalaya region of Ladakh and Lahul & Spiti’. The study on climate change is based on the meteorological data for the past 35 years. We obtained the data on Ladakh from the year 1973 to 2009 through the metrological dept. of Indian Airforce. Then we interviewed almost a total of 110 individuals above 35 years of age from  Leh and Kargil who had seen the frequent climate variability occurring during their lifetime. We also interviewed researchers in SKAUST and DIHAR. From the Meteorological data, we derived that the mean minimum temperature (in winter) and the mean maximum temperature (in summers) both showed a rise in 1 degree Celsius and 0.5 degree Celsius respectively. Warming up of winters by 1 degree in 35 years has decreased the winter precipitation (snowfall) by almost 50%.  And the 0.5-degree rise in summer has caused untimely increased rainfall during summers. Our survey coincides with the response from the aged villagers, thus this validates our study.

Q. Dr. L.S. Rathor, DG Indian Metrological department stated: “Climate variability is more dangerous than climate change.” What is the difference? 

There is an important point is the differentiation between Climate Variability and Climate Change. The weather conditions of an area do not only differ on a daily basis but also year by year. A particularly cold winter might be followed by a surprisingly warm winter in the following year or a rainy summer by a very dry one. These annual variations are referred to Climate Variability. Changes in long-term climate averages or shifts in average weather conditions are then called Climate Change. The implications of such a definition are twofold: First we need a sufficiently long period of records for the variable of interest and second, we are not allowed to explain individual extreme events by climate change. The former is necessary to define an average climate and the latter follows from the fact that even in unchanged climate extreme events may occur. 

Q. With rapid climate variation every year, do you think Ladakh needs its own research cell on Climate Study? 

A detail scientific research on Impact of climate change in Ladakh is much needed and this can be done if there is a cell for a study on climate change in our region.  The study that I have done while in GERES on Impact of Climate Change in Ladakh is, in fact, the only detailed study that I know of. Glacial retreat, change in precipitation patterns, reduction in underground water availability, an effect on wildlife due to increase in temperature, mapping of  Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) and  Channel Flood patterns is very much required if we want to take measures in advance to mitigate the effects of disasters due to climate change.

Q. It is a sad scenario that we are the least contributors of Global warming but are the first to bear the brunt. What would you like to say to this?

The impact of Global warming is most visible in the Himalayas, Arctic and Antarctic as we can see the glaciers retreating. This is because of the climate getting warmer due to increased greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide(CO2), Chlorofluorocarbon (C4H), etc and human activities have a major role in its ascend. Researches show that an increase in temperature means there is more CO2 in the atmosphere. Rapid industrialization and urbanization taking place around the world especially in the developed countries is the reason behind increasing CO2 and C4H in the atmosphere thus the climate change. 

Q. Therefore, human contribution to climate change is immense. Comment.

Yes, we are the least contributors of greenhouse gases, but our fragile ecosystem consequently gets the most affected by the changing climate pattern thus having immediate effects on us. In addition to this, we do not have the capacity to adapt to these changes. If we see the CO2 emission level of India it is only 4% and that of Ladakh is almost negligible. That is why it is important for us to come on world forums and raise our voice. Having realized the growing impacts of climate change, leaders around the world attend Conference of Parties (COP) held every year where they meet and discuss steps that need to be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In these conferences, there has been a focus on using more renewable energy rather than fossil fuel based energy. Ladakh is a good example of the usage of solar energy. LREDA has taken a very good initiative in this direction.

Q. What are the measures that must be taken by the government if we don’t want 2010 flash flood and this year’s Nubra floods from happening again?

We are witnessing the Impact of climate change due to increased emissions of greenhouse gases owing to human activities in the last decades. Therefore for the coming years, the changing climate pattern cannot be prevented, but we can work to mitigate the threat to life by taking concrete measures. For example at the level of administration, the District Disaster Management Plan should be developed in consultation with local people. Likewise, it is important to have Disaster preparedness, early warning systems in place, and then schools should incorporate drills. There should be strict regulations to prevent people from building houses along flood channels or areas which fall under the flood course. Then maybe the level of causalities (both life and property) in incidents like the 2010 flood and the recent Nubra floods can be reduced. At an individual level also people should incorporate Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) features while construction of the houses and follow an environment-friendly lifestyle. Then students should venture into the study and research on climate change and environment so that we get more information in understanding our region in particular and the world at large. 

Q. Warming up of the climatic also has a positive impact in Ladakh. How true is this? 

Yes, warming up of climate has some positive impacts. Like in Changthang, (Rong) apples can be cultivated which otherwise three decades ago did not grow at all. Similarly, when Christian missionaries came to Ladakh they cultivated tomatoes but it would never ripen, however now a variety of vegetables can be grown here. But we cannot attribute the growth of all new vegetables to climate change because their seeds were not available thirty years ago. Whatever the conditions are, the livelihood of our people has improved, in the sense that we can grow our own vegetables in good quantity. Warming up of winters has also become favorable for us. 

Q. There have been visible impacts of Climate Change in the last 35 years, were you involved in making people aware about it? 

Our region sustains on Glacier water in every way and the most visible impact is depleting Glaciers, reduced water runoff in streams, especially during sowing season, thus affecting agriculture. In Leh town, a number of ‘chumik’ have vanished completely. It is undergoing rapid transition since the last decade in the face of growing tourism, agriculture, changing a lifestyle that demands more water consumption. People in Shun Shadey Village in Zanskar had completely abandoned their village because the glacier that fed their village has completely melted. Likewise, the residents of Kumic village in Sham were being relocated by the government’s initiative along the banks of Zanskar River due to water shortage problem. Reduction of pasture lands in Changthang is also visible changes. Irregular precipitation in summer and low snow snowfall in winters are some prominent changes that we have also seen. Spreading awareness about climate change is very important. We showcased documentary to school children and adults in both Leh and Kargil. Then Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials like posters, pamphlets were made and distributed among people. The documentary film on ‘Impact of Climate Change in Ladakh and Lahul-Spiti’ was screened in English and in vernacular languages. We had interactive sessions with children and the adults about climate change and they seem concerned too; this was a good way in disseminating knowledge about the subject.

Q. How do you visualize Ladakh in next 50 years if the current trend of climate variability continues?

According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by the end of the century the temperature around the world will increase by 3.7 to 4.8 degree Celsius, therefore global climatic risks are “high to very high”. If that happens then glaciers will continue to deplete and vanish and underground water that is being exploited will also continue to decline thus causing water scarcity in our region. If such drastic climatic changes occur then there is a possibility that we become Climate Refugees.