Climate Change and Its Impact on Gilgit Baltistan
By Israruddin Israr
Climate change is a global issue, but certain regions, like Gilgit Baltistan, are disproportionately affected. Nestled at the junction of three of the world’s greatest mountain ranges—the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram—this region is among the most vulnerable to climate-induced disasters. Gilgit Baltistan’s significance extends beyond its local population; it is crucial for all of Pakistan and the surrounding region due to its abundance of glaciers and freshwater resources.
In recent years, Gilgit Baltistan has experienced hundreds of climate-induced disasters, including glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, and flash floods. These events have displaced thousands, caused noticeable climate migrations, and resulted in numerous casualties and damages to homes, crops, cultivated land, villages, and pastures. The local population, which has relied on the ecosystem for centuries, now faces extreme risks due to unplanned development and poorly implemented policies. For the first time, the region witnessed a summer temperature of 40°C and a winter temperature of -20°C, highlighting the extreme weather conditions now affecting the area.
The melting of glaciers is exacerbated by the lack of snowfall, contributing to a significant loss of freshwater sources. The Hindu Kush, Himalaya, and Karakoram (HKH) region, which is geographically diverse and climatically unique, is exposed to an array of natural hazards that profoundly impact human life. These include sudden-onset disasters like flash floods, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and GLOFs, as well as slow-onset issues such as drought, desertification, land drifts, and soil erosion.
Gilgit Baltistan spans 72,496 km², but less than 2% of this land is arable. The region’s agriculture, heavily dependent on melting snow and glaciers, has been significantly affected by climate change. The impacts on local communities are profound, including the loss of water sources, changing agricultural patterns, damage to arable land and cash crops, and the disconnection of fields from markets. Additionally, animal health and productivity are suffering due to these environmental changes.
Over the Himalayas, the rate of warming is more than five times faster than the global average, with regions above 4000 meters experiencing the highest warming rates, as noted in studies by Lau et al. (NASA, 2006) and Karki et al. (2010). The 6th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report further emphasizes the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, which are more visible and disastrous than in the past.
According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), there have been 35 destructive GLOFs in the Karakoram region over the past 200 years. A particularly tragic incident occurred on April 7, 2012, when an avalanche hit a military base in the Gayari Sector near the Siachen Glacier, trapping 140 soldiers and civilians under deep snow. Additionally, glaciers like Kukuar, Baltar, and Daintar have retreated by 8 km, 8 km, and 2.5 km respectively over the past 70 years (Mieners, 2006), with many others now surging at faster rates.
The Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) reported more than 113 climate-induced disasters in 2022 alone. The Shishper GLOF in May 2022, which disconnected Hunza from the rest of Gilgit Baltistan, is a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability. ICIMOD/NARC data from 2005 indicates that the north of Pakistan, including Swat, Jehlum, Chitral, and Gilgit Baltistan, is home to 2,420 glacial lakes, of which 1,328 are major lakes and 52 are potentially dangerous for GLOFs.
One of the most significant climate-induced disasters in recent history was the formation of Attabad Lake. On January 4, 2010, a massive landslide struck the small hamlet of Attabad, killing 20 people and rendering about 1,450 families (over 16,000 individuals) homeless. The resulting lake inundated 25 km of land, consuming the villages of Ayeenabad, Shishkat, Gulmit, and Hussaini in Gojal and damaging 23 km of the Karakoram Highway, the main trade route between China and Pakistan.
Air pollution and black carbon deposits have further exacerbated temperature rise in the region, with Gilgit Baltistan experiencing a record 40°C, a temperature never before witnessed in the area. Health impacts have also become more severe, with increases in cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses reported by the health department over the past decade. Mental health issues, including stress and displacement-induced suicides, have also risen, with more than 573 suicides recorded in Gilgit Baltistan between 2005 and 2022, according to Aga Khan University.
The region’s agriculture has been severely impacted by glacial melting, with reduced crop yields as per statements of local farmers. The local population has become acutely aware of the increased risk of GLOFs, flash floods, and landslides, with more than a dozen incidents reported between June and August 2024 in Hunza, Ghizer, Astore, Baltistan, and Diamer. Deforestation, loss of biodiversity, shifts in agricultural patterns, and increased vulnerability of marginalized communities are further consequences of climate change in the region.
Despite global efforts to protect environmental rights, as outlined in international agreements such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the 1972 Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the 1998 Aarhus Convention, and the 2015 Paris Agreement, Pakistan has struggled to address the issue adequately. National and provincial laws, including the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA) of 1997, the Pakistan Climate Change Act of 2017, and various provincial environmental protection acts, have not been effectively enforced.
Gilgit Baltistan established its own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Gilgit Baltistan Environmental Protection Act of 2014, with key provisions including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), pollution control, and public participation in environmental decision-making. However, enforcement weaknesses, lack of resources, political will, and community ignorance about the risks of climate change have hampered the effectiveness of these laws. Greater public awareness and education on environmental rights and laws are urgently needed, along with better coordination between federal and provincial agencies.
Human rights and climate change are deeply interconnected, with environmental degradation directly impacting the right to life, health, education, housing, and access to information. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has been at the forefront of advocating for climate justice, with its 2022 report “Clarion Call for Climate Justice in Pakistan” recommending governance changes, preparedness, climate-resilient infrastructure, mapping climate-induced migration, local government involvement, civil society oversight, and a new social contract for climate justice.
Recent Dialogues and Recommendations
In response to the extreme risks faced by mountain communities in Gilgit Baltistan, a series of dialogues have been conducted by HRCP Gilgit Baltistan chapter. In 2022, stakeholders gathered to discuss “Climate Governance in GB” and “Rehabilitation of Flood-Affected IDPs in Gilgit Baltistan.” These discussions culminated in a recent dialogue on August 17, 2024, organized by HRCP Gilgit on the “Civil Society Strategy to Counter Climate Change in GB.” The participants included representatives from academia, environmental and human rights organizations, the legal and journalism sectors, NGOs, gender and women’s rights advocates, youth, disability and elderly rights activists, political activists, civil society, and researchers.
The dialogue emphasized the need for collective action and informed decision-making to address climate change challenges in Gilgit Baltistan. The following recommendations were made:
• Promote Climate Change Education:
o Enhance public awareness and citizen education on climate change.
o Integrate climate change topics into school curricula.
o Encourage community-based learning on climate resilience.
• Leverage Indigenous Knowledge:
o Support research that incorporates local Indigenous knowledge.
o Promote the transfer of Indigenous practices to protect ecosystems.
• Engage Religious Scholars:
o Involve religious leaders in climate change strategies to enhance community understanding and participation.
• Ensure Law Enforcement:
o Strengthen the enforcement of existing laws and policies related to climate change.
• Advocate for Climate Justice:
o Ensure that climate justice principles guide all climate-related actions.
o Introduce a new social contract on climate change that holds the government accountable for environmental degradation caused by development policies.
• International Advocacy:
o Communicate the impacts of climate-induced disasters in Gilgit-Baltistan to the international community.
• Strengthen Civil Society:
o Increase funding and technical support for local NGOs.
o Foster stronger linkages between civil society and government.
o Ensure that marginalized communities are central to climate strategies.
o Encourage gender-sensitive approaches to climate adaptation.
• Community and Stakeholder Involvement:
o Engage communities and stakeholders in all climate change interventions and development projects.
o Document and implement customary laws related to environmental conservation.
o Establish committees at the village, union, tehsil, and provincial levels to address climate change issues.
• Enforce No Development without EPA Approval:
o Prohibit any development projects without an NOC from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
o Ensure all departments collaborate with the EPA for effective law enforcement.
• Promote Sustainable Practices:
o Ban the use of timber for paneling in government offices.
o Prohibit road access to natural places, pastures, and rangelands to prevent environmental damage.
o Ban blasting for minerals excavation in mountainous areas.
o Encourage responsible tourism by charging environmental fees and using the funds for environmental cleanliness.
o Promote the use of cloth bags instead of plastic.
o Prohibit garbage dumping and introduce penalties for violations.
o Ban deforestation and encourage reforestation and plantation programs.
• Support Environmental Journalism:
o Train journalists on climate change and promote environmental journalism.
o Develop guidelines and provide training for journalists and media outlets on environmental issues.
• Implement Inclusive Policies:
o Ensure all climate change policies and programs are inclusive.
o Introduce a GB Climate Protection Act and ensure its immediate implementation.
• Enhance Town Planning:
o Develop and enforce town planning regulations to prevent environmental degradation.
• Empower Women and Youth:
o Empower women and involve youth in climate change initiatives.
o Promote gender-inclusive climate strategies and behavioral change policies.
• Leverage Influencers and Social Media:
o Involve influencers and use social media platforms to raise awareness and disseminate information on climate change.
o Develop a WhatsApp group or similar platform for real-time information sharing.
• Allocate Funds for Climate Action:
o Secure funding for climate change mitigation and allocate funds to support community-led initiatives.
• Create Monitoring and Response Mechanisms:
o Establish monitoring teams to identify and manage climate-related risks.
o Develop and disseminate key messages on climate change through various media outlets.
o Declare a climate emergency in Gilgit-Baltistan and take immediate action.
• Develop a Collective Action Platform:
o Establish a platform for relevant organizations to share information and track progress on environmental protection efforts.
o Organize regular sessions or gatherings to discuss environmental protection, facilitated by agencies like EPA or AKRSP.
• Promote Sustainable Agriculture:
o Provide facilities to support organic farming and reduce pesticide use.
• Encourage Reforestation:
o Fund and support the development of small nurseries and encourage plantation efforts in flood-prone areas.
• Regular Reporting and Accountability:
o Publish an annual report on climate change impacts and responses in Gilgit-Baltistan.
o Include climate change in the political narratives of all parties.
• Foster Interdisciplinary Research:
o Conduct interdisciplinary research to deepen understanding of climate change impacts and solutions in Gilgit-Baltistan.
• Empower Local Leadership:
o Appoint trained focal persons or ambassadors from each department/organization to lead climate change initiatives.
o Encourage village organizations and provincial-level committees to take charge of local climate action efforts.
In conclusion, addressing the unique challenges posed by climate change in Gilgit Baltistan requires coordinated efforts from all levels of government, civil society, and the international community. Sustainable development, informed decision-making, and strong legal frameworks are essential to safeguard the rights and well-being of the region’s inhabitants.
The contributor is a Gilgit based human rights activist and columnist, currently associated with HRCP as a regional coordinator for its GB Chapter. He can be reached at israrhrcpglt@gmail.com
