Countering Climate Change in Gilgit-Baltistan: Where Innovation Meets Ice
In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), nestled amidst the world’s highest mountains and home to some of the planet’s largest non-polar glaciers, is on the frontlines of the climate crisis . With over 7,000 glaciers, this region serves as a crucial water source for Pakistan’s river systems. But now, GB is witnessing the profound impacts of global warming: rapid glacial melt, erratic snowfall, rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increased glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). In the face of these daunting challenges, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan are not just adapting — they are innovating . This article will deal with strategies adopted for countering climate change in Glgit-Baltistan. Necessity: The Mother of Innovation “Necessity is indeed the mother of invention,” as seen in the resourceful valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. With snowfall in steady decline and centuries-old water cycles disturbed, the fa...