Need to develop strategies to mitigate Climate Change: VC

Srinagar, May 28: Taking forward its mission of building the technical ingenuity of state, the University of Kashmir has formed a Working Group on Climate Change (WG-CCR)comprising of members from the Academia, Government and the Civil society, that met here Wednesday under the Chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Riyaz Punjabi.

The Working Group shall suggest a strategic plan that outlines the policies and actions required to be taken by the different organizations in the state to mitigate and adapt to the climate change effects. Prof. Punjabi stressed on the importance of coordinated efforts by all the stakeholders in the state and beyond for developing strategies for adapting to the Climate Change.

This came in the backdrop as the Impacts of Climate Change and climate variability, already evident in the region, are likely to affect different sectors of the economy in our state. It is predicted that the Climate Change shall impact Himalaya’s natural resource base including water resources, forestry, agriculture and other associated sectors and thus, putting additional stress on ecological and socio-economic systems in the region. At present, there are no efforts being made to study the climate change related issues in the state said Vice Chancellor while addressing the Working Group, adding that, it is of utmost importance that strategies are developed, on priority, to: Analysis the evidence and uncertainty about the nature and extent of climate change, assess the likely impacts of the climate change on every sector in the state and adapt to the climate change in a phased manner.

Dr. Shakil A Romshoo, Convener of the Working Group presented a detailed report on the research activities being conducted in the University on various aspects of the Climate Change. He presented key research findings and case studies on the impact of climate change on glacier recession, snow variability, snowmelt runoff, wetlands, Forests and Land cover change. He lamented the fact that the snow and glaciers resources of the state, that have potential to generate tens of thousands of Megawatts of electricity, are receding at an alarming rate. He said that over 16% of the glaciers have been lost in the Suru basin for the last forty years and 18% of the Kolhai glacier, the main feeder glacier for the irrigation and drinking water supplies in the valley, has recessed for the last 40 years. Dr. Romshoo ended his presentation on an optimistic note, by citing the example of the Nobra valley in Ladakh, where the forest cover has increased 2025 hectares in the last forty years and said that there are tremendous opportunities for investment in the state of J&K in Power sector and forestry under clean development mechanism(CDM)

Apart from others, the Working Group meeting was attended by the Padmashree Prof. Syed iqbal Hasnain, former Vice chancellor of the university of Calicut and is currently a senior fellow at the energy Research Institute of India(TERI), New Delhi. Prof. Hasnain noted that there is need for inter and intra-collaboration to develop strategies for mitigating the climate change impacts in the country. He said that TERI has initiated some scientific studies in collaboration with the KU and other state agencies to study the climate change in the Lidder valley. In his Presentation titled,” Fixing carbon Dioxide in Kashmir valley”, Prof. Hasnain said that the state has tremendous potential of fixing the Co2 by initiating some research and development schemes in the state. He remarked that the average mean temperature of the Himalayas has increased by 0.6-1 degree Celsius and sounded a warning that the people in Kashmir are likely to be the first to experience the disruption in water supply as a result of Global change.

Shantmanu, commissioner/secretary Forests, a member of the Working Group, said that the state government particularly the forest Dept. shall partner with Kashmir University to promote research and development in the field of Climate Change Science. Najib-ullah, Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Kashmir, offered sharing of the hydro meteorological data with University to optimize the benefits of the data for the climate change and other fields. Farooq Shah, Chief Engineer, Power Development Corporation offer the support from his organization for the initiative.

It was decided in the Working Group meeting that a 2-day Workshop on the “Climate change on Snow, Ice and Water in the J&K” shall be organized by the University of Kashmir in the month of July this year in collaboration with the University of California, USA, University of Cambridge, UK and the Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi. The other members of the Working group comprised of Prof. S. Fayyaz, Registrar of the University, Prof. A. R. Yousuf, Prof. Azra Kamili, Dr. Aneesa Shafi, , Dr. Gh. Jeelani, Dr. M. S. Bhat, Prof. G. M. Mir and A. R. Wani.