The inclusion of Himachal Pradesh’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in the prestigious UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) is a moment of pride for India and people of the hilly state. At the 37th session of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) in Paris, the decision elevated India’s tally of such globally valued sites to thirteen. Spread across 7,770 sq. km of the Lahaul-Spiti district, this cold desert represents one of the most fragile and rare ecosystems in the world.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐎 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬.

The announcement was made at the… pic.twitter.com/2y5k19hkpB

Perched between 3,300 and 6,600 metres above sea level, the reserve encompasses Pin Valley National Park, Chandratal and Kibber sanctuaries, alpine lakes, and glacial valleys. It sustains 732 species of vascular plants, including 30 endemics, along with iconic fauna such as the snow leopard, Himalayan ibex, blue sheep, and golden eagle. It is also home to nearly 12,000 people whose livelihoods rest on yak and goat herding, barley cultivation, and traditional Tibetan medicine, often nurtured by Buddhist monastic institutions.

This international honour, however, is a double-edged sword. While it promises global attention, funding, and tourism opportunities, it also places on UNESCO, the Himachal Pradesh government, and local communities an enormous responsibility to protect a landscape already under strain.

Status of India’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites

India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (36 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed), and their condition is mixed. While many monuments and natural reserves are well-managed, several face site-specific threats. The Taj Mahal and Agra’s monuments are stressed by air pollution and river-flow changes; the Sundarbans suffer from sea-level rise, erosion, and salinity; the Western Ghats face biodiversity loss from development; and Kaziranga, despite successful rhino protection, remains vulnerable to floods and infrastructure pressures. Cultural sites like Hampi, Ajanta–Ellora, and Red Fort are conserved but strained by urban pollution, encroachment, and tourist pressure. Overall, though not collapsing,........

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