National Conference

on
Climate Change: Understanding Himalayan Ecology

at

UNIVERSITY OF JAMMU, 9-10 April 2012

Organized by
Institute of Himalayan Glaciology, University of Jammu
and
Liberty Institute, New Delhi
In partnership with
Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit, New Delhi

This conference on climate change is a part of a series of similar events being organised by Liberty Institute. The concept note and background is available here.

Venue:

• Inauguration: Seminar Hall, Department of Computer Science
• Technical Sessions: Seminar Hall, Department of Environmental Sciences

Date: 9-10 April 2012
Time: 10 am to 6 pm

Tentative Programme
Day 1: April 9, 2012

10.00 am to 10.15 am: Registration

10.15 to 12.00 noon: Inauguration

(Biographies)

Chief Guest: Sh. Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Jammu & Kashmir Government

Presidential Address: Prof Mohan Paul Singh Isher, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu

Prof Rajinder K. Ganjoo, Institute of Himalayan Glaciology, University of Jammu

Sh. Barun S. Mitra, Director, Liberty Institute, New Delhi

12.00 noon to 12.30pm: Tea

12.30 to 1.30pm: Technical Session- I 

Himalayan Glaciers:  An Untold Story

(Abstracts and Biographies)

• V.K.Raina: Glacier Recession vis-à-vis Weather Cycles and Human Activity
• C.V. Sangewar: Impact of Climate Change on the Glacier Resources of Jammu and Kashmir State

1.30 to 2.30 pm: Lunch Break

2.30 to 3.30 pm: Technical Session- II

Climate Change & Agro-Economy of Himalayan Range

(Abstracts and Biographies)

• M.N. Kaul: Impact of Recent Change in Climatic Parameters on Agro-economy of Zanskar Valley, Ladakh
• Shakil Romshoo: Validating PRECIS Regional climate Model Simulations with Historical Meteorological data for Assessing the Climate Change Impacts on Food Production in Kashmir Valley

3.30 to 4.00 pm: Tea

4.00 to 5.30 pm: Technical Session – III

Mountain Hazards – Causes, Adaptation & Mitigation 

(Abstracts and Biographies)

• Ashwagosha Ganju: Impact of Changes in Snow Pattern and Glacier Dynamics on Himalayan Ecology
• Surya Prakash: An overview of the Impacts of Changing Climatic Conditions and Landuse Practices on Mass Movements in Hilly Terrains of Indian  Himalaya
• Chhewang Norphel: Artificial Glacier: A High Altitude Cold Desert Water Conservation Technique

Day 2: April 10, 2012

10.00 am to 12.00 noon: Technical Session – IV

Climate Change and Public Policy

(Abstracts and Biographies)

• Bharat Desai: The Policy and Legal Framework for Combating Climate Change in India
• Dipanker Sengupta: Climate Change and Economic Policy: The Role of Institutions
• Arvind Jasrotia: Climate Change: Exploring the Dimensions of Justice and Law
• Milap C Sharma: Climate Change – Science, Perception and Response

12.00 to 12.30pm: Tea

12.30 to 1.30 pm: Technical Session – V 

Himalayan Ecology & Economics

(Abstracts and Biographies)

• OP Sharma Vidyarthi: Biodiversity of Ladakh Highlands – Ecotourism and Livelihood
• Sheraz Ahmed and A.K. Srivastav: Impact of Climatic Change on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Himalayas
     
  1.30pm to 2.30 pm: Lunch

2.30 to 4.00pm: Technical Session –V (continued)

• Ritu Bakshi: Climate Change and Adaptive Responses of Society
• Barun S. Mitra: Commerce and Conservation: Reviving wildlife and Reaping economic benefits

4.00 to 4.30pm: Tea

4.30 to 6.00pm: Panel Discussion

Brief Speakers Profile:

• Dr. Sheraz Ahmed, Department of Botany Govt. P.G. College Udham. Singh Nagar (Kumaun University Nanital)
• Prof Ritu Bakshi, Principal, Sharan College of Education for Women, Kangra. HP 
• Prof. Bharat Desai, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
• Prof. Rajinder K. Ganjoo, Institute of Himalayan Glaciers, University of Jammu
• Dr. Ashwagosha Ganju, Director, Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment, Chandigarh
• Dr. Arvind Jasrotia, Professor, University of Jammu, Jammu
• Dr. M.N. Kaul, Professor (Retired), Department of Geography, University of Jammu, Jammu
• Sh. Barun S Mitra, Liberty Institute, New Delhi
• Sh. Chhewang. Norphel, Ladakh
• Dr. Surya Parkash, Associate Professor, National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi
• Sh. V.K. Raina, Former Deputy Director General. Geological Survey of India, Panchkula 
• Dr. Shakil Romshoo, Associate Professor/ Program Coordinator(Geoinformatics), Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Kashmir
• Dr. C.V. Sangewar, former Director, Glaciology Division, Geological Survey of India, Lucknow
• Dr. Milap C. Sharma, Associate Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
• Prof. Dipanker Sengupta, Univesity of Jammu, Jammu
• Dr. A.K. Srivastav, Department of Botany Govt. P.G. College Udham. Singh Nagar (Kumaun University Nanital)
• Dr. OP Sharma Vidyarthi, Conservator of Forest, Indian Forest Service, J&K Government

Background:

The beauty and majesty of Himalaya stretching from the southern edge of Central Asia to the borders of Burma and Yunan Province of China has fascinated the world from time immemorial. The Indian Himalaya is covered with more than 9000 glaciers of various dimensions. Major rivers of region, including the Ganga, Sindhu and the Yamuna originate from the Himalaya. This invites the attention of climatologists and the policy makers towards the management of the largest bank of water resource in Indian Himalaya. In recent years, there has been a debate over the changing pattern of temperature and snow-fall, and their impact on the waxing and waning of the glaciers.

Today, more than 33 million people live in 2720 km long stretch of Himalayan mountain range. The population in Himalayan region is increasing at the rate of 2% annually. The survival of the population in Himalaya is dependent on the efficient and sustainable exploitation of the resources.

Growing developmental aspirations of the people is getting reflected in the intensity of agriculture, and spread of terrace cultivation along the mountain slopes. This has contributed to movement of people in to the steeper slopes for farming. This in turn has resulted in extreme deforestation in the Himalaya causing serious threat to the fragile, in many parts, of the mountain eco-system. It has been a major cause for more denuded hills around a village leading the villagers to roam farther from their villages to collect fodder and firewood.

In some other parts of the Himalaya, people have been leaving their hill villages for the plains, in search of economic opportunities. In these areas, vegetation is making a comeback. Various efforts have been made towards afforestation, and diversification of agriculture to make the terrain economically more productive, as well environmentally sustainable.

The major developmental works of construction of roads, bridges, hydropower dams, etc. in the otherwise fragile Himalaya is associated with several environmental issues such as hazards of slope instability, high sediment discharge, siltation in dams/reservoirs and vulnerability of water induced seismicity in Himalaya. Past two decades has seen a boom in the mountain tourism in India, including pilgrimage. The influx of tourists in Himalaya has created new economic avenues for the local population, and without well thought out management plan, this is also contributing to stress on the Himalayan ecology.

However, a school of thought believes that the denudation of hills is due to long term bio-physical processes caused by tectonic uplift and/or change in precipitation. The change in precipitation in Himalaya, if true, leads us to debate seriously on the management of water resources in Himalaya. Most of the conflicts among nations in South Asia are focused around the sharing and management of natural resources especially the water.

The land use pattern in Himalaya has significantly changed over past few decades. The change is associated with a number of serious issues encompassing global warming/climate change, biodiversity depletion, land degradation and hydrologic imbalance. These changes have a cascading effect on the sustainability of socioeconomic development of the Himalayan region. The objective of this conference is to assess the status of the biophysical resources in the Himalayan mountain region according to the latest findings. The conference provides a platform for discussion on the appropriate strategies for environmental management from a multidisciplinary perspective, recognizing the fact that environmental research remains sensitive to political, economic and cultural ethos.

Deadline: Please send soft copy (doc/pdf file) of extended abstracts to Prof. R.K. Ganjoo on or before March 27, 2012.

Prof.(Dr.) R.K. GANJOO
Director
Institute of Himalayan Glaciology
c/o Department of Geology
University of Jammu
Jammu 180006, India
Cell: 09419181258
Work: 91-191-2435248 / 2453588 / 2435259 xtn 2597
Email: ganjoork@rediffmail.com

Partner organisations

Liberty Institute
4/8 Sahyadri, Plot 5, Sector 12
Dwarka, New Delhi-110078
Tel: 011-28031309
Email: info@libertyinstitute.org.in
Websites: www.InDefenceofLiberty.org | www.EmpoweringIndia.org

Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit
Regional Office, South Asia
USO House, 6 Special Institutional Area
New Delhi-110067. India
Websites: www.freiheit.org | www.southasia.fnst.org