The National Mission For Sustaining The Himalayan Ecosystem is one of the eight climate missions of the Indian government under the NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) mitigation strategy. It was launched in the year 2010 and is governed by the Ministry of Science And Technology. The National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) is the only area-specific mission among the NAPCC's eight National Missions. The mission's most important and main aim is to expand a sustainable national capacity to regularly monitor the health of the Himalayan Ecosystem, support policy-making bodies in their work, and help States in the Indian Himalayan Region carry out the actions chosen for sustainable development. This article will explain to you about National Mission For Sustaining The Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

National Mission For Sustaining The Himalayan Ecosystem

Importance of the Himalayas for India

• Source of Freshwater: Most of the Indian subcontinent's northern rivers originate in the Himalayas.
• They support agriculture and other activities by moving a significant amount of freshwater from the highlands to the plains.
• They also aid in the creation of new plains to house expanding populations. For example, the Ganges and Indus rivers originate in the Himalayas.
• Climate Regulation: The Himalayas, which regulate temperature, serve as barriers to stopping internal Arctic cold waves from reaching the Indian subcontinent.
• This keeps the Indian subcontinent from experiencing the exceptionally cold season that would have otherwise happened.
• Influencing Monsoons: Similar to the climatic effect, the Himalayas serve as a barrier and keep the monsoons from leaving the subcontinent as they approach.
• This guarantees that India's interior receives enough rainfall. Additionally, they help bring monsoonal winds into India.
• Ecological Support: The Himalayas is an ecological hotspot since they are home to a variety of plants and animals.
• As a result, there is harmony between the environment and the people in the area.
• Animals and plants are also excellent sources of food, medicine, fiber, etc.
• Security of the Country: India is naturally protected by the Himalayas on its northern, north-eastern, and north-western borders.
• Their establishment has made it far easier to stop an assault on India from another country.
• They continue to be viewed as strategically valuable to India.

NMSHE - Primary Objectives

• To determine how susceptible the Himalayan environment through scientific research, is too short- and long-term changes in climate and weather.
• To create policies to safeguard the delicate ecology in accordance with the research.
• To conserve the Himalayan ecology, states in the region must carry out programs in a timely manner.

NMSHE - Secondary Objectives

• To create a network of information with the assistance of organizations researching the Himalayan Ecosystem.
• To forecast the effects using reliable research that the Himalayan regions will have to deal with in the future.
• To develop appropriate strategies for the growth of the economy in mountainous areas by evaluating the ecological and socioeconomic effects of the environmental change that is occurring all over the world.
• To examine how traditional medical practices and expertise can be used to combat climate change.
• To spread knowledge among all stakeholders.
• To provide the states with the knowledge they need to safeguard the Himalayan ecology.

NMSHE - Functional Areas

• Himalayan glaciers and the resulting hydrological effects
• Natural hazard management and prediction.
• Protection and conservation of biodiversity.
• Protection and conservation of wildlife.
• Traditional societies and their means of subsistence.
• Ability to help with governance challenges relating to the maintenance of the Himalayan ecosystem through the regulation of science and critical peer evaluation.
• Contribution to Uttarakhand's restoration and reconstruction.

NMSHE - States Covered

The Himalayan states and the Union Territories that are covered under the National Mission For Sustaining The Himalayan Ecosystem include:

• Himachal Pradesh
• Uttarakhand
• Sikkim
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Nagaland
• Manipur
• Mizoram
• Tripura
• Meghalaya
• Assam
• West Bengal
• Jammu and Kashmir
• Ladhak

States And UTs Covered Under NMSHE

NMSHE - Implementation

• The NMSHE is implemented by the Department of Science and Technology
• The government has designated 6 task force institutions to carry out this mission because it has a wide range of objectives.

NMSHE - Monitoring Activities

• A high-powered committee headed by the honorable minister for science, technology, and earth sciences would frequently review the Mission, at least twice each year.
• Members of the Ministries of Environment & Forests, Agriculture, and Water Resources as well as the governments of the Himalayan States will be represented on the High Powered Committee.
• Reports from this committee would be periodically reviewed by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change.
• A think tank would be established by the National Advisory Council for the National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, which would also provide feedback to the Monitoring Committee and assess how well work was going.
• A Committee of Secretaries from the relevant departments will be involved in the process for input approvals and financing choices.
• For the purpose of coordinating with and reporting to the various committees and oversight bodies, a dedicated Mission Cell on the Himalayan Ecosystem would be established.
• Additionally, the mission necessitates policy consequences and regional cooperation.
• It would be crucial to work closely with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Latest Contexts Related to NMSHE

• In a paper titled "Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework," published by the Department of Science and Technology, the most vulnerable states and districts in India are listed in terms of the risk posed by the current climate.
• The report states that the easternmost states of Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal are the eight most vulnerable States that call for the prioritization of adaptation interventions.
• The report also states that the greenest region of India is the most vulnerable to climate change, along with central India's Chhattisgarh.
• As part of the Nationwide Action Plan on Climate Change, DST has been carrying out two national missions.
• These include the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKC) and the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
• DST has been assisting the State Climate Change Cells in 25 States and Union Territories as part of their initiatives.
• Scientists, with assistance from the National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) Programme, have been able to disseminate available scientific information to the farmers to enable sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.
• In addition to other tasks assigned to these State CC Cells, carrying out the assessment of vulnerability due to climate change at district and sub-district levels has been their primary responsibility.

Conclusion

The national aim is to develop the Himalayas without damaging such an incredibly valuable but vulnerable ecosystem. Due to the growth in the frequency of disasters in the area, it has become even more crucial. In order to make data and knowledge more easily accessible to users and the community in the Himalayan region, the department of science and technology has also established a knowledge portal through its national Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem. This effort will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the citizens of the Indian Himalayan region.