The humanity in denial of our environment

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-09-06 08:39:18 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-06 11:16:15

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The environmental havoc in the Himalayan states and elsewhere is not solely attributable to natural phenomena. It is time we acknowledge the role we play in it.

It was an unusually warm February in Uttarakhand, India, and Himachal Pradesh, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The melting snow exacerbated the rivers, causing floods and landslides that claimed the lives of nearly 200 people in India alone and displacing thousands more.

The Himalayas are often termed the "third pole" because they contain the largest store of snow and ice outside the polar regions. Therefore, global heating has particularly dramatic effects on the mountain range. Glacial ice melts faster, thinning glaciers, and unleashing unprecedented amounts of water into streams and rivers.

Every year, the melting adds to growing uncertainty about water availability, food production, and hydropower in the region. Yet, despite being forewarned about the onset of monsoons, the severity of the damage, and the potential implications for their communities and environment, the locals continue to establish themselves and their infrastructure in dangerous floodplains and on fragile slopes.

Most recently, a deadly avalanche struck a popular tourist destination in Nepal, killing at least 18 people. Dozens more are missing as rescuers work tirelessly to dig out those trapped beneath the rubble.

And though each incident seems to instill a newfound awareness among the affected populations, such caution is once again fleeting.

We cannot consistently blame the trail of destruction in the Himalayan states and beyond on the vagaries of Nature without living in denial of our own role in this environmental havoc. It is only through collective effort and acknowledgment of our role in these disasters that we can hope to mitigate them.

Go!