The Himalayan Regions (IHR) are referred to as the ‘the water towers’ of the world because of their role in sustaining large populations in the Himalayan region and the Indo-Gangetic plains. It remained pristine until the British era when it emerged as a popular choice due to its political, military, and climatic advantages.
Time passed and the British left the country, yet the development of IHR has not halted. In recent times, the tourism sector and rural-urban migration have significantly contributed to the urbanization of IHR. The added complexity of climate change has made IHR a vulnerable hotspot.
In a free-wheeling interview with Youth Ki Awaaz, Riyan Habeeb, an urban planner and PhD researcher at Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, talks about the vulnerabilities associated with IHR and the way ahead in order to address them.
Tarun (T): Can you share with us your views on the outcomes of CO26?
Riyan Habeeb (RH): COP26 was definitely a showcase of the united front by the global leaders against climate change. While the global leaders were prepared to fight climate change together, I was surprised that mitigation still outweighed adaptation in the final discussion. When we talk about climate action, mitigation is an unquestionably great way to proceed; however, an equal emphasis must also be given adaptation which is necessary to reduce the system’s vulnerability.
T: What makes Himalayan Cities more vulnerable?
RH: Several reasons account for the Himalayan cities’ vulnerability. To cite a few, the IHR is a uniquely fragile ecosystem; while the endemic biodiversity adds to its uniqueness, being one of the youngest mountains range makes it extremely fragile.
Besides, climate change has introduced multiple risks and changes in the pattern of climatic conditions in the region. If you see the literature, you will see the changes in the rainfall pattern and intensity in the region. The humans further exacerbate these uncertainties; the recent increase in the migration rates has increased the Himalayan Cities’ burden, leading to more construction in fragile and unstable areas; these factors also add to the vulnerability of the Himalayan cities.
T: Despite being water towers, Himalayan cities face an acute water crisis. What do you think is the reason for this?
RH: Even I find it quite ironic that the Himalayan Cities are facing acute water shortage despite being called the water towers. However, if you do the math, you will see that the problem is quite apparent. For example, if you take the case of Uttarakhand, 4-5 cities of the state are home to a significant proportion of its population; besides, the tourist flow is also responsible for a significant draining of resources and, thus, the expected shortage of resources.
We already have discussed the induced uncertainty caused because of climate change. Additionally, the increasing concretisation in the region has been resulting in less water infiltration and lesser groundwater recharge. All these factors contribute to the acute resource scarcity in the region.
T: Do you think solutions like Sponge Cities can help overcome this resource crunch?
RH: Sponge cities are definitely a successful case study; however, its implementation in the Himalayan cities must be done by considering several factors. For instance, understanding the slope in the region, i.e. where the slope is convex and conclave. There is no one-size-fits-all solution; what might have worked for sponge cities might not work for the Himalayan cities. We must, thus, plan for solutions pragmatically, considering local ecology, geology, and several other parameters.
T: How could we solve the environmental crisis in the Himalayan Cities?
RH: (Through) simple, effective planning. In India, the development of cities in the plains has occupied much attention, while the development of Himalayan cities hasn’t been given as much attention. This needs to be regulated and is the first step towards solving the environmental crisis in the Himalayan cities. The second important step is promoting the involvement of the local population in solving these crises.
In designing ‘nature-based solutions’, an important step is the involvement of the local communities, and believe me, this involvement has done miracles. It is high time to move from a more centralised top-down to an inclusive, bottom-up approach in solving such crises.
If we can achieve these changes in the system, solving environmental crises would not be much difficult.
T: Tell us about your work at Leibniz?
RH: At Leibniz, I am researching strategies to improve local communities’ involvement in larger decision-making in Indian cities. Luckily, Dehradun is one of the sample cities I have selected.
T: Are you an optimist or pessimist regarding climate change?
RH: I am definitely a climate optimistic, even an ardent believer that we as humanity can conquer this crisis like many others. However, we need to act swift; the time available is limited. I am saying this not just to governments but also to the individuals; we need to change ourselves. We need to start small, and I promise a more significant domino effect will transform the planet.
For instance, even the most minor decision like using a web engine that promises to plant a tree for every 8 searches, a decision to walk to the workplace is going to have some bearing. It is time that we, as an individual, pick up the fight; change is difficult but not inevitable.