Srinagar, Feb 18: Winter tourism in Kashmir faces serious challenges due to climate change. Experts warn that the recent postponement of the Winter Games highlights the urgent need for action to combat snow-melt in popular destinations like Gulmarg.
Authorities announced that the “Fifth Khelo India Winter Games,” set for February 22-25, had to be postponed because of insufficient snow. This issue ties back to long-term warming trends affecting the Himalayas, particularly at tourist spots. This winter has seen less precipitation, leading to quicker snow disappearance. Environmental scientists view these changes as part of a troubling pattern.
A study from 2014 by Prof. Shakeel Romshoo and his team, including Riyaz Ahmed Dar, Irfan Rashid, and Arif Marazi, explored the impact of climate change on winter tourism. They found that the success of winter tourism relies heavily on good snow conditions, and low snowfall poses a major threat.
According to the researchers, climate change is shifting ski tourism in the region, creating winners and losers. Data from their years of research showed a clear rise in average temperatures during the winter months.
The study, titled “Sustainability of Winter Tourism in Kashmir,” highlighted two main concerns: decreased snowfall and shorter snow cover durations. The traditional snowfall pattern has changed, with December and January seeing less snow, while February and March are experiencing more heavy snowfall.
Prof. Romshoo recently shared that climate change’s effects are becoming more evident each year. He noted, “Winter tourism may not be sustainable. We’ve studied places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam and are now gathering data from Sonmarg.” He raised concerns over unregulated tourism in these delicate ecosystems. While tourism boosts the local economy, it also threatens natural resources like snow and glaciers.
Snow-related sports aren’t just facing issues in Kashmir; the Alps are experiencing similar problems. Many nations are now using artificial snow, which critics argue harms the environment due to the large amounts of energy required for this process.
