Climate change and its impact on glaciers remains a global challenge which requires global efforts and actions. The Government of India is committed to protect the glaciers and has made efforts to reduce the impact through several adaptation and mitigation measures. This includes a number of programmes under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. Various R&D projects are being supported for studying Himalayan Glaciers under the National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change.
Several areas in the Himalayan States have also been declared as National Parks or Protected Areas, such as Gangotri National Park, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, and Great Himalayan National Park.
In addition, the Government of India through its various organizations such as Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Geological Survey of India and Indian Space Research Organization has been carrying out regular scientific studies to monitor the changes in Himalayan glaciers.
The final outcomes at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are in the form of various decisions agreed to by consensus of all the Parties following extensive negotiations, while taking into consideration the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in the light of different national circumstances, as applicable to developing countries. Accordingly, the measures being undertaken by India are also based on aforementioned principles. These include India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and declaration of net-zero by 2070 and efforts in domestic climate action with a wide range of initiatives, programmes and schemes for mitigation and adaptation purposes.
