PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Nainital
The changing climate coupled with rising human activities is posing a grave threat to future greenery and biodiversity in the mountainous regions, in general, and Uttarakhand, in particular. A satellite research, conducted by scientists from several countries and also those from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, reveals this. As per the research, the greenery is depleting fast in the Himalayan state. Informing this, the environmental scientist from ARIES, Umesh Dumka who led the team said that the Indian and foreign collaborators had conducted this research using Google Earth Engine (GEE).
Notably, GEE is a global platform that processes vast amounts of satellite data, highly useful in environmental monitoring, land degradation, temperature change and pollution studies.
Dumka explained that Uttarakhand is known for its lush valleys, dense forests and grasslands. “But satellite images reveal a worrying situation. With the changing climate, grasslands and forests are undergoing undesirable changes. The State is being increasingly denuded of vegetation. This is due to climate change sensitivity and seasonal resilience- erratic weather. Mountain ecosystems are highly sensitive to climate change. Rising global temperatures are altering rainfall patterns, impacting significantly vegetation dynamics. Climate change, deforestation, agricultural expansion, urbanisation and pollution are the primary causes of greenery decline,” he noted.
The researchers analysed things based on the data collected from 2001 to 2022.
Dumka further explained that Uttarakhand’s forests, grasslands and valleys are crucial for environmental balance, including biodiversity, water conservation and livelihoods of local people. “Satellite monitoring can serve as an early-warning system,” he observed and added that this research is important for policy making.
Asked to explain the factors leading to the changes being seen in rainfall pattern, he said that conversion of agricultural areas for construction activities is concerning while the increase in greenhouse gases and the loss of greenery are exacerbating global warming and impacting the climate. “If the situation is not improved soon, the possibility of major changes in rainfall patterns cannot be ruled out,” he added.
