Addressing environmental impacts in Gilgit-Baltistan

Climate change poses a major threat to the mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Due to its fragile ecosystem, the region faces severe environmental problems such as natural disasters, glacial lake outbursts, extreme weather conditions, declining food production, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, pollution and water scarcity.

There are more than 6,500 glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan covering an area of ​​13,214 km². The amount of snow melting at higher elevations due to global warming contributes to glacier retreat and frequent GLOF events. These glaciers provide 70% of the water of the Indus River, which is crucial for irrigation and supporting Pakistan’s agriculture. Increased glacier melt rate can also potentially affect food production in the country.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is intended to connect Pakistan and China to global markets through infrastructure and development, which would consequently also lead to a higher carbon footprint in Gilgit-Baltistan. Incorporating and implementing disaster risk reduction and sustainable development projects under CPEC for Gilgit-Baltistan would significantly reduce the environmental threats to the region.

The unpredictability of glacial meltwater and flash floods makes conditions in the region vulnerable. According to the United Nations Development Programme, a total of 3,044 glacial lakes were discovered in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2022, formed due to rapid melting of glaciers. Floods in Gilgit-Baltistan usually result in road blockages and destruction of infrastructure, including houses, hampering the free movement of goods and people.

In 2022, various districts in Gilgit-Baltistan were hit by devastating floods. For example, in Ghizer alone, more than 200 houses were partially or completely damaged by floods and around 20 people lost their lives. According to Khawja Jawad, Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority officer, around 50,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes due to the floods, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 10 billion.

In addition, drinking water supply systems and irrigation canals are also being destroyed, leading to serious food security problems. It is in the best interest of the people that the relevant authorities consider the environmental degradation in Gilgit-Baltistan. Inclusion of environmentally friendly projects in the CPEC can benefit the region. For example, projects related to construction and repair of small infrastructure can potentially reduce the risk of flooding.

In addition, tree planting, controlled drainage and mini-dams can minimize the risk of loss and prevent water shortages. In addition, monitoring stations to collect meteorological data can help inform the public about impending environmental disasters.

Agriculture has been a source of livelihood for the region for decades, but seasonal shifts in Gilgit-Baltistan caused by climate change have reduced crop yields. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Skardu, the city has about 45,000 kanal of agricultural land.

However, the harvest this year is less than half of last year’s and fruit trees have also seen a similarly disappointing decline. Hence, there is an urgent need for the introduction of sustainable projects such as IFAD under CPEC to support agriculture in the region.

In addition, conditions can be improved by promoting organic farming techniques and water conservation. Improved road conditions attract more tourists and businesses to the region – but this puts pressure on natural resources.

According to the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, more than 2 million tourists visited Gilgit-Baltistan in 2022 and this number is increasing year by year. According to research, after the completion of the CPEC project, more than 7,000 vehicles, including trucks and containers, will pass through the region every day.

The local tourism industry relies on fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel to generate electricity, adding carbon pollution to the pristine atmosphere. In addition, large hotels use thousands of litres of fresh water every day to keep themselves running.

Moreover, the Sost Dry Port in Gilgit-Baltistan is open only during summer and the constant blockage of the Karakoram Highway due to floods and landslides also hampers trade. With the increasing environmental degradation, it will be difficult to maintain uninterrupted trade even after the completion of CPEC.

Therefore, the region can only be preserved through the introduction of sustainable tourism, supported by the introduction of projects to generate clean energy, comfortable public transport and electric engines for freight transport.

Moreover, replacing building materials like steel and cement with stone, wood and mud – an indigenous construction method – can be less harmful. Moreover, traditional cooking and heating systems also play a crucial role in the increasing deforestation and pollution in Gilgit Baltistan. Due to the unavailability of Sui gas and the high cost of LPG, people prefer wood.

Similarly, timber mafia is also actively involved in cutting timber and transporting it to different regions. It is time to introduce reforestation projects in the region and take strict action against timber mafia. Moreover, under CPEC, projects for transportation of LPG/Sui gas must be introduced so that the domestic needs of the people can be met, which will lead to saving trees.

Under CPEC, China can help in disaster prevention by providing advanced technologies and training to the government of Gilgit-Baltistan. In addition, resilience projects such as energy-efficient technologies, waste management programs, water-efficient irrigation and climate education programs can be initiated to strengthen the capacity of local governments and provincial disaster management authorities.

The federal government of Pakistan can strengthen local political leadership by giving more authority to the legislative assembly. The green projects will help reduce the drastic impact of climate change and will also help in the smooth running of CPEC in Gilgit-Baltistan. If other neighboring regions and provinces experience positive change through the green projects, they are likely to invest in and strengthen the initiative.

Without considering the environmental costs in Gilgit-Baltistan, any kind of development will lead to habitat loss, increased glacier melting, water scarcity, food shortages and global disasters. More importantly, if the climate-related disasters disrupt life in Gilgit-Baltistan, it would pose a huge challenge to the success of CPEC. It is in the best interest of China and Pakistan to explore and implement sustainable projects in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The author is an analyst of Gilgit-Baltistan affairs.