Sagarmatha Sambaad

General Studies Paper-3

Context: Union Minister for Environment addressed the 1st Sagarmatha Sambaad in Nepal, presenting a five-point global action plan to protect fragile mountain ecosystems, with a focus on the Himalayas.

Key Highlights From the Address

• “Sagarmatha”, meaning ‘Head of the Sky’, symbolizes both the majesty and responsibility of protecting mountain ecosystems. Sambaad (dialogue) is named after the world’s tallest mountain Sagarmatha (Mt. Everst).
• He emphasized the shared cultural and ecological bonds between India and its Himalayan neighbours.
• South Asia houses 25% of the global population, contributing only 4% to historical CO₂ emissions. Yet, developing countries like India bear disproportionate impacts of climate change.
• And, developed countries are falling short on climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
• He called for transboundary cooperation under the International Big Cats Alliance for species like snow leopards, tigers, and leopards & also reiterated India’s progress under Project Snow Leopard.

Five-Point Global Action Plan Proposed by India

• Enhanced Scientific Cooperation: Strengthening research collaboration, and monitoring cryospheric changes, hydrological cycles, and biodiversity.
• Building Climate Resilience: Investing in climate adaptation measures, early warning systems for disasters like Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), and climate-resilient infrastructure in mountain areas.
• Empowerering Mountain Communities: Ensuring that the welfare, needs and aspirations of local communities are at the heart of policy-making and their benefit from green livelihoods and sustainable tourism. Their traditional knowledge is an invaluable resource.
• Providing Green Finance: Making available adequate and predictable climate finance as per the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement for mountain Nations to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies effectively.
• Recognizing Mountain Perspectives: Ensuring that the unique vulnerabilities and contributions of mountain ecosystems are suitably featured in global climate negotiations and sustainable development agendas.

Importance of Himalayas

• Climate Regulator: The Himalayas act as a barrier against cold Central Asian winds and influence the Indian monsoon, ensuring rainfall across northern plains.
• Water Source: They are the origin of major rivers like the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra, supporting water and food security for over a billion people.
• Biodiversity Hotspot: Home to diverse flora and fauna, including endangered species like the snow leopard and red panda.
• Cultural Significance: Sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism, the region hosts many pilgrimage sites like Amarnath, Badrinath, and Kailash Mansarovar.
• Strategic Importance: Serving as a natural frontier with China, Nepal, and Bhutan, the Himalayas are vital to India’s national security.

Initiatives Taken to Protect Himalayas

• National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE): Part of India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), it focuses on sustainable development, glacier monitoring, and biodiversity conservation in the Himalayan region.
• Secure Himalaya Project: Launched with UNDP support, it promotes conservation of high-altitude biodiversity and supports sustainable livelihoods in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Ladakh
• Project Snow Leopard: Aims to protect snow leopards and their habitat through community-based conservation and scientific research in five Himalayan states.

International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA): India-led initiative to foster global cooperation in protecting big cats like snow leopards and tigers across transboundary Himalayan regions.