Bhutan: Conservation and Environmental Protection in the Himalayas

Bhutan: Conservation and Environmental Protection in the Himalayas
Author: Ugyen Tshewang
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2021-01-15
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 3030578240

Located in the heart of the Eastern Himalayas, Bhutan practices the philosophy of Gross National Happiness (“GNH”) that embraces environmental conservation as one of the main building blocks for its sustainable development goals. Bhutan’s conservation strategies and success are largely driven by the strong political will and visionary leadership of His Majesty the King of Bhutan The nation’s Buddhist perspectives regarding a deep and abiding respect for nature; and the strategic enforcement of a wide-ranging stringent set of internal regulations and controls have helped ensure ecological gold standards in Bhutan. Moreover, the country is an active member of the international conservation community by fulfilling its implementation of various Multilateral Environment Agreements. While it emerged into the 21st century as one of the 36 global terrestrial “hotspots” in biological diversity conservation ranks, Bhutan’s sheer commitment with more than 51% of its territory being managed under the explicit status of a protected area network, and more than 70% of the land under forest cover, represents Bhutan’s exemplary dedication to protect the planet despite its smallness in size and economy, and the biological fragility exemplified by its hotspot situation. In the face of imminent severe threats of global warming, Bhutan nonetheless exemplifies the truth that “a small country with a big conservation commitment” can make an enormous contribution to the global community. At the regional level, Bhutan is intent upon protecting the Water Towers of Asia (that glacial expanse of the Himalayas) which is a critical resource bulwark for about one-fifth of the global population downstream in South Asia. Such protections invariably help mitigate climate change by acting as a nation-wide carbon sink through its carbon neutral policies. In short, Bhutan has long represented one of the world’s foremost national guardians of biodiversity conservation, ecological good governance, and societal sustainability at a period when the world has entered the Anthropocene – an epoch of mass extinctions. We envision this publication to be ecologically and ethically provocative and revealing for the concerned scientific communities, and governments. Through an extensive review of the scientific and anthropological literature, as well as the research team's own data, the Author's have set forth timely recommendations for conservation policies, strategies and actions. This book provides technical and deeply considered assessments of the state of Bhutan’s environment, its multiple, human-induced stressors and pressures; as well as extremely sound, practical techniques that would address conservation strategies in the Himalayas and, by implication, worldwide.

Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and Kashmir State

Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and Kashmir State
Author: Ghulam Hassan Dar
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 1096
Release: 2020-02-26
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9813291745

The Himalaya, a global biodiversity hotspot, sustains about one-fifth of the humankind. Nestled within the north-western mountain ranges of the Himalaya, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) State harbours more than half of the biodiversity found in the Indian Himalaya. The wide expanse of State, spread across the subtropical Jammu, through the temperate Kashmir valley, to the cold arid Ladakh, is typical representative of the extensive elevational and topographical diversity encountered in the entire Himalaya. This book, the most comprehensive and updated synthesis ever made available on biodiversity of the J&K State, is a valuable addition to the biodiversity literature with global and regional relevance. The book, arranged into 7 parts, comprises of 42 chapters contributed by 87 researchers, each of whom is an expert in his/her own field of research. The precious baseline data contained in the book would form the foundation for assessing current status of knowledge about the bioresources, identify the knowledge gaps, and help prioritization of conservation strategies to steer the sustainable use of biodiversity in this Himalayan region. Given the breadth of topics covered under the banner of biodiversity in this book, it can surely serve as a model for documentation of biodiversity in other regions of the world. The book will be of immense value to all those who, directly or indirectly, have to deal with biodiversity, including students, teachers, researchers, naturalists, environmentalists, resource managers, planners, government agencies, NGOs and the general public at large.

Community-based Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayas

Community-based Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayas
Author: Yogesh Gokhale
Publisher: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2011-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 8179934039

Conservation of biodiversity by local communities has been part of the social system in the Himalayas. A variety of ecosystems are conserved traditionally by local communities. These communities are fully aware of the relationship between protecting the nature and getting ecosystem goods and services. The van panchayat system in Uttarakhand and sacred natural sites all over the Himalayas suggest a mix of the institutions in the region. Globally, community conserved areas (CCAs) are gaining importance. Biodiversity Heritage Sites, Community Reserves, and Conservation Reserves are the new institutional legal provisions that recognize the efforts of local communities in biodiversity conservation in India. The present volume highlights the importance of the existing systems in terms of their role in biodiversity conservation with community participation and suggests ways to enhance community-based biodiversity conservation in light of the emerging policy provisions. It would serve as an important reference for a wide range of stakeholders, from policy-makers to environmentalists, biodiversity experts, development practitioners, academicians, and researchers.

The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment

The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment
Author: Philippus Wester
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 638
Release: 2019-01-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319922882

This open access volume is the first comprehensive assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. It comprises important scientific research on the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable mountain development and will serve as a basis for evidence-based decision-making to safeguard the environment and advance people’s well-being. The compiled content is based on the collective knowledge of over 300 leading researchers, experts and policymakers, brought together by the Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP) under the coordination of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). This assessment was conducted between 2013 and 2017 as the first of a series of monitoring and assessment reports, under the guidance of the HIMAP Steering Committee: Eklabya Sharma (ICIMOD), Atiq Raman (Bangladesh), Yuba Raj Khatiwada (Nepal), Linxiu Zhang (China), Surendra Pratap Singh (India), Tandong Yao (China) and David Molden (ICIMOD and Chair of the HIMAP SC). This First HKH Assessment Report consists of 16 chapters, which comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the HKH region, increase the understanding of various drivers of change and their impacts, address critical data gaps and develop a set of evidence-based and actionable policy solutions and recommendations. These are linked to nine mountain priorities for the mountains and people of the HKH consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals. This book is a must-read for policy makers, academics and students interested in this important region and an essentially important resource for contributors to global assessments such as the IPCC reports.

The Great Himalayan National Park

The Great Himalayan National Park
Author: Sanjeeva Pandey
Publisher:
Total Pages: 364
Release: 2019
Genre: Biodiversity
ISBN: 9789386906717

-The book is intended both as a history and an ecological overview of the Park and as a plea for continuing conservation of the rich legacy of Himalayan plants and animals -The pictures, taken by the authors and their collaborators, vividly illustrate the grandeur and diversity of the area -The book has universal appeal: to naturalists, scholars, resource managers, trekkers, arm-chair travelers The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most important protected areas in the Himalayas, one of the World's great biological realms. The book is intended both as a history and an ecological overview of the Park and as a plea for continuing conservation of the rich legacy of Himalayan plants and animals. In addition to descriptions of the ecology, the book includes local history and culture and a review of current development in the region. The inscription of the Park into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014 confirmed the Outstanding Universal Values of the area, which contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of Western Himalayan biological diversity. The pictures, taken by the authors and their collaborators, vividly illustrate the grandeur and diversity of the area. The book has universal appeal: to naturalists, scholars, resource managers, trekkers, arm-chair travelers. Success and failure along the road to creating today's Park are discussed frankly to inform future management efforts and there are numerous examples of conservation in action that will motivate a new generation of naturalists and ecologists to continue the fight to protect the ecology of the greatest mountains on earth.

Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayas

Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayas
Author: B. L. Kaul
Publisher:
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2009
Genre: Biodiversity conservation
ISBN:

The colossal and awe-inspiring Himalayas eulogized by the people of India as nature s marvel and the abode of gods are one of the most threatened life-support systems on the earth today. The continuing deforestation and the resultant high-intensity landslides, unplanned developmental activities and natural factors such as earthquakes, neo-tectonic activities, cloud bursts etc are some of the factors threatening the very existence of the Himalayas. Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayas is a Compendium of articles written by experts and workers connected with Himalayan studies. The volume covers a wide range of topics having a direct bearing on the health and security of the most outstanding yet fragile Himalayan ecosystems. The authors have tried to analyse the causes of the degradation of the Himalayas and suggested measures to restore and regain the beauty and biodiversity of these mighty mountains.

Environmental Change in the Himalayan Region

Environmental Change in the Himalayan Region
Author: Anup Saikia
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2019-02-19
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 3030033627

The book focuses on environment and conservation issues pertaining to the Himalayas, spanning Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Myanmar. Environmental degradation, changes in snow cover and glaciers in India-Bhutan, threats to protected areas, and biodiversity in this ecologically fragile region are assessed in twelve distinct, regional case studies.

Nature at Work - the Ongoing Saga of Evolution

Nature at Work - the Ongoing Saga of Evolution
Author: V. P. Sharma
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2011-12-27
Genre: Science
ISBN: 8184899920

Charles Robert Darwin was born on 12th February, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. Darwin shares his birthday with U. S. President Abraham Lincoln. Both were crusaders against slavery: Darwin disliked slavery and Lincoln abolished it. Darwin was a born naturalist and showed keen interest in nature from the very beginning. A breakthrough came when he was selected as a naturalist on the H. M. S. Beagle ship. His ?ve year voyage on the Beagle started in 1931 and was completed in 1936. This was followed by publication of his research ?ndings that challenged creationist views of the church. Darwin conducted a study of fossils and geological records and concluded rightly, that all life forms emerged over millions of years of evolution through the force of natural selection. In 1959 Darwin published his work on evolution in a book titled “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favored Races”. The book was received as a scienti?c bomb shell and has since changed the human understanding of life forever. Today Darwin’s ideas on evolution provide foundation to modern biology. Darwin died of a heart attack on the 19th April 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey near the grave of Sir Isaac Newton. The scienti?c community is celebrating Darwin’s bicentenary worldwide in honor of his ingenuity, scienti?c thought, conviction and courage.

Environmental Sustainability from the Himalayas to the Oceans

Environmental Sustainability from the Himalayas to the Oceans
Author: Shikui Dong
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 270
Release: 2017-01-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319440373

The book is written in the backdrop of the environmental impacts of and future requirements from the natural environment for rapid economic growth that has characterized recent economic history of China and India, especially over the past few decades. The environmental impacts of such rapid economic changes have been, more frequently than otherwise, degrading in character. Environmental impacts of economic activities create degraded natural ecosystems by over utilization of nature’s provisioning ecosystem services (from Himalaya to the Ocean), as well, by the use of the natural environment as sink for dumping of unmarketable products or unused inputs of economic activities. Such processes affect wide range of ecosystem processes on which the natural environment including human population depend on. Critical perspectives cast by various chapters in this book draw attention to the various ways in which space and power interact to produce diverse geographies of sustainability in a globalizing world. They also address the questions such as who decides what kind of a spatial arrangement of political power is needed for sustaining the environment. Who stands to gain (or lose) what, when, where, and why from certain geographical areas being demarcated as ecologically unique, fragile and vulnerable environments? Whose needs and values are being catered to by a given ecosystem service? What is the scope for critical inquiry into the ways in which the environment is imagined, represented and resisted in both geopolitical struggles and everyday life? The book provides insights to both academics from diverse disciplines and policy makers, civil society actors interested in mutual exchange of knowledge between China and India.

Protection of Himalayan Biodiversity

Protection of Himalayan Biodiversity
Author: Ananda Mohan Bhattarai
Publisher:
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2010
Genre: Biodiversity conservation
ISBN: 9788132112297

Beginning with the ecological, economic, social and legal facets of biodiversity issues and challenges facing the Himalayan region, the book discusses the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and subsequent developments. A pioneering work on the protection of Himalayan biodiversity, it uses tools upheld by international environmental law and examines exhaustively the possibility of evolving regional partnerships for the protection of the Himalayas. The debate between the technology-rich First World and the bio-rich Third World is studied in detail, with a focus on issues of access and bene.