As Jammu and Kashmir is facing extreme impact of climate change, it was heartening to see top brass of government brainstorm to revise Jammu & Kashmir State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC 2.0).Leading from the front, Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, chaired a meeting to assess the revised Jammu & Kashmir State Action Plan on Climate Change and called for further refinement of the plan by incorporating clearly defined, department-wise actions, outcomes and timelines up to 2030.Being prepared by the Department of Forest, Ecology & Environment, Jammu & Kashmir State Action Plan on Climate Change envisages providing a comprehensive framework for strengthening climate resilience in J&K while aligning the Union Territory’s climate response with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Paris Agreement and the emerging climate risks specific to the region.

The Action Plan on Climate Change assumes significance as J&K ranks third among the Himalayan areas which are vulnerable to climate change and fall in the highest seismic zones. J&K is a multi-hazard prone Himalayan region which is vulnerable to natural disasters especially earthquake, floods, landslides, windstorms and soil erosion besides Glacial Lake Flood Outbursts.

The climate projections based on IPCC pathways, including SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 state that under the moderate-emission scenario, temperatures are projected to rise by around 1.5°C during 2021–2050. And there will be implications for water resources, agriculture, health and ecosystems. The annual precipitation is projected to increase by........

© Greater Kashmir