Himachal shows climate action can drive prosperity: Former UN Environment chief Solheim
Shimla, July 3
Former UN Environment Programme Executive Director Erik Solheim on Friday praised Himachal Pradesh for demonstrating how climate action can be linked with economic prosperity, saying the state is creating new income opportunities for farmers while protecting the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
In a post on X following his visit to the state, Solheim said what impressed him most was Himachal Pradesh's determination to ensure that climate action delivers tangible benefits to its people.
He described the state's initiatives as an example of the kind of leadership needed to address environmental challenges while improving livelihoods.
The HIM EVERGREEN Project, inaugurated this week, will support more than 150,000 smallholder farmers to adopt boundary plantations and climate-smart agricultural practices. Over the coming decades, the project has the potential to generate more than $60 million in additional income for farming communities through South Asia's lead carbon company.
Another exciting initiative is the development of an indigenous biochar programme that will convert around 9,000 tonnes of pine needles per year into biochar, bio-oil and wood vinegar, he wrote.
Forest floors covered by pine needles are one of the major causes of devastating forest fires in the region. The project is being implemented through a partnership between local communities, the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and ProClime. It will create high-integrity carbon credits. It's turning a problem into an opportunity, he said.
The former UN Under-Secretary-General said he is looking forward to seeing these projects scale across India and beyond. Pine needles are blamed for most of the forest fires in Himachal Pradesh.
Records of the Forest Department say 22 per cent or 8,267 sq km of the total forest area in the state is fire-prone. A majority of the fires are reported from the pine forests during the peak summer when the trees shed pine needles that are highly inflammable due to the rich content of turpentine oil.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see international recognition for Himachal's efforts. But let's not forget the real challenge - monsoon landslides and infrastructure damage are still huge issues here. Climate action is great, but the ground reality for mountain communities needs more than carbon credits. 🏔️
HIM EVERGREEN project sounds promising! $60 million additional income for 1.5 lakh farmers? That's roughly ₹500 crore! If implemented transparently, this could transform rural livelihoods in the hills. But we need local verification, not just foreign endorsements.
As someone from Shimla, I've seen pine needle fires destroy hectares of forest every summer. This biochar initiative is a game-changer if it works at scale. But 9,000 tonnes per year is a drop in the ocean when our forests have lakhs of tonnes of pine needles. Need more ambition!
Finally! Someone putting Himachal's climate efforts in proper perspective. 🌿 Solheim is right - climate action shouldn't be a burden, it should create opportunities. For too long we've heard "development vs environment". This is the path forward.
Great news but I'm skeptical about carbon credits - too often they become a way for polluters to buy guilt money. Need strict monitoring to ensure farmers actually benefit and the carbon offsets are genuine. Let's not repeat the mistakes of REDD+ projects elsewhere.
M We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.