SRINAGAR: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG), in collaboration with The Institution of Engineers (India), Jammu and Kashmir State Centre, hosted a workshop titled Water, Weather, and Well-Being: Climate Change in the Kashmir Valley , focusing on the pressing impacts of climate change on water resources, agriculture, economy, and public health in the region.
Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology, Professor Shakil Romshoo, was the chief guest at the event. As the Kashmir Valley grapples with erratic weather patterns, unpredictable precipitation, and rising temperatures, the workshop brought together experts, policymakers, academicians, and civil society representatives to assess vulnerabilities, identify adaptation measures, and propose policy recommendations to strengthen climate resilience in the region.
Faiz Bakshi, Convenor of EPG, delivered the welcome address, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to environmental advocacy. He highlighted EPG’s role in championing conservation efforts, implementing Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and filing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on the 2014 floods and ongoing solid waste management challenges in Jammu and Kashmir. He acknowledged the National Green Tribunal’s proactive stance, including imposing significant fines, as a catalyst for enforcement despite bureaucratic inertia.
The workshop featured a series of presentations from eminent speakers. In his address, Professor Romshoo underscored the disproportionate impact of climate change on Jammu and Kashmir, despite its minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. He highlighted concerning trends such as altered autumn seasons, prolonged dry spells, and the decline in saffron productivity, a vital component of Kashmir’s economy and cultural heritage. He pointed to alarming weather extremes, including the heavy snowfall of 2019 and record-breaking cold temperatures during the Chilai Kalan winter period, and noted that while global temperatures have risen by 0.8°C in the past century, Kashmir has experienced an even sharper increase of 1.3°C, emphasising the need for urgent climate action.
Dr Khurshid Iqbal, former head of cardiology at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, addressed the growing health vulnerabilities linked to climate change. He warned of a rise in respiratory illnesses due to poor air quality, exacerbated by dust storms and pollution, leading to a public health crisis.
RTI activist and environmentalist Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat issued a stark warning about the region’s water crisis, predicting that Kashmir could face severe drinking water shortages by 2030. He criticised unchecked pollution and illegal mining, urging immediate government intervention to regulate these activities before communities are forced to migrate due to uninhabitable conditions.
Maajid Farooq, a scientist from the Department of Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing, presented data-driven insights on shifting climate trends, stressing the importance of equipping farmers with the knowledge and tools necessary to sustain agricultural livelihoods amid changing climatic conditions.
Dr GN Qasba, former commissioner of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, called for urban planning that incorporates climate resilience, while Altaf Ahmad Andrabi, former director, concluded the event by advocating grassroots-level actions, including the promotion of climate-resilient crops to support sustainable agricultural development.
The panel discussion was moderated by Er. Ajaz Rasool and Er. Iftikhar Hakim, who facilitated an engaging Q&A session with participants. The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Er. Iftikhar Hakim.
The workshop underscored the urgency of collaborative efforts to combat climate change in the Kashmir Valley. The EPG-IEI will compile a comprehensive report outlining key findings, analyses, and policy recommendations. This report will be submitted to the appropriate government authorities to support effective decision-making and implementation of climate resilience strategies in the region.
