01-10-2021 The Asian Independent

12 01-10-2021 to 15-10-2021 NEWS
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Ahead of UN climate talks, Tibetans
concerned over Tibet environment
Dharamsala. With just over a
month to go for the UN climate
talks (COP26) in Glasgow, the
Central Tibetan Administration
(CTA), the government in
exile, has expressed concern
over the deteriorating environment
in the highly fragile
Tibetan Plateau.
The latest publication of the
Environment and Development
Desk of the Tibet Policy
Institute, 'Tibetan Perspectives
on Tibet's Environment', was
released here on Wednesday by
CTA President Penpa Tsering.
He said the book was a
much-needed repository of
information and facts valuable
for the world to understand the
environmental issues of Tibet
over the last 10 years and its
relevance to global climate
change.
According to Tsering, having
such a comprehensive book
written solely by Tibetan
researchers, some of whom
have lived the experiences of
the changing ecology of Tibet,
offers an important aspect to
the issue that is necessary and
something that he noted is
rarely found in books written
by non-Tibetan researchers.
The book is an added value
and important source of reference
to the experts and
researchers on Tibet's ecology,
he said.
PoK resident apprehended after
crossing LoC in J&K's Poonch
Jammu. A Pakistan occupied
Kashmir (PoK) national was
apprehended on Friday by the
Army after he crossed the
Line of Control (LoC) in
Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch
district.
Lt. Colonel Devender
Anand, defence ministry
spokesman said, "Today, at
about 12.30 a.m. one POK
National(male) crossed LoC
and has been apprehended by
Indian Army troops along
Mendhar River in Balnoi area,
of Poonch district."
The spokesman said further
details were awaited.
Last month, one PoK
national was sent back by the
Indian Army after he inadvertently
crossed the LoC.
Tsering reiterated that the
book was equally a call out to
the Tibetans in exile to understand
the significance of preserving
Tibet's environment as
well as to act responsibly.
"It is imperative that more
Tibetan researchers, including
writers and experts, contribute
to disseminating factual information
about Tibet and its environmental
issues," he said.
He said the book also serves
as a potential mechanism for
the governments and world
leaders in framing policies and
making Tibet's environmental
issue a substantial case.
He noted the book will be a
contributing factor to those
attending the forthcoming
COP26 UN conference on climate
change.
Environment and
Development Desk Executive
Head Tempa Zamlha explained
the background context of the
book, which is a compilation of
reports, papers and articles prepared
from 2010-2020.
Tibetan spiritual leader and
Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama
has been saying his homeland
Tibet is currently vulnerable to
climate change.
He has been emphasising
that "climate change is not the
concern of just one or two
nations. It is an issue that
affects all humanity and every
living being on this earth and
that there is a real need for a
greater sense of global responsibility
based on a sense of the
oneness of humanity".
According to the
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change's (IPCC) latest
report, mountain and polar glaciers
are committed to continue
melting for decades or centuries.
Glacier mass loss is a dominant
contributor to global mean
sea-level rise. It may also cause
low-likelihood, high-impact
outcomes, characterised by
deep uncertainty and sometimes
involving tipping points.
In the context of the Hindu
Kush Himalaya, the report says
the mountain glaciers like in
the Himalayas are included in
the assessment, and human
influence is responsible for the
retreat of glaciers since the 20th
century, and that is not only in
the two poles but also mountain
glaciers.
"Glaciers are also one of the
slow responding parts of the
climate system, so what we see
now is not the retreat to expect
from the warming we currently
have. So, even if we stop emitting
right now or admit to stopping
global warming at 1.5
degrees Celsius, we will see a
further retreat of glaciers. That
is, of course, an important climatic
impact driver because it
has huge implications for freshwater
availability in the
region," it says.
Border incidents with China to continue till
boundary dispute is resolved: Army Chief
New Delhi. Indian Army Chief
General Manoj Mukund
Naravane said on Thursday that
developments along the Line of
Actual Control (LAC) in
Eastern Ladakh add to the ongoing
legacy challenges on India's
"active and disputed borders"
on the Western and Eastern
Front.
Speaking at the 116th annual
session of PHD Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (PHD-
CCI), General Naravane said as
far as Northern neighbour is
concerned India has an outstanding
border issue.
Responding to continued
Chinese aggression at the border,
he said: "We are well prepared
to meet any misadventure
that may occur as we have
demonstrated in the past. Such
kinds of incidents will continue
to occur till such time a long
term solution is reached, that is
to have a boundary agreement...
That should be the thrust of our
efforts so that we have lasting
peace along our northern borders."
He also said that the unprecedented
developments at the
Northern Borders necessitated
large scale resource mobilisation,
orchestration of forces and
immediate response, and all this
in a Covid infested environment.
Concurrently, there was also
a need to reinforce the efforts of
the government in mitigating
the ongoing health crisis.
He said that the Armed
Forces contributed during this
highly challenging and sensitive
period towards the making of a
resilient India.
"You would appreciate that
each of the three Services -- the
Army, Navy and the Air Force -
- has its own set of challenges.
Because of our peculiar environment
of contested borders
and an ongoing proxy war in the
hinterland, the Indian Army is
in active operations throughout
the year, safeguarding the territorial
integrity and sovereignty
of our Nation," General
Naravane said.
Maintaining high levels of
readiness and operational preparedness
to meet contingencies,
is therefore part of the
Army's culture, he stated.
However, a challenge like
the Covid pandemic was unique
and unprecedented. "We had to
protect ourselves, only then
could we discharge our duties
and help others," he said.
Strict Force Preservation
measures were undertaken in
the initial days of the pandemic,
even as there was no dilution to
the ongoing operational commitments.
As the magnitude and
scale of the pandemic unfolded
over time, we realised that these
early actions to stay ahead of
the curve, had a strong bearing
on the future course of our operations.
The combined capabilities
of the three Services were
pressed into service to augment
the national effort. The Indian
Air Force undertook massive air
evacuation of our citizens
stranded in various countries
while at the same time ferrying
tons of medical supplies.