Earlier this year, at the ninth International Conference of Tibet Support Groups (TSGs) held in Brussels, the Dalai Lama addressed 140 representatives from 40 countries. His speech highlighted Tibet’s environmental concerns as a global problem. This is not the first time the revered Tibetan leader has tackled the issues of climate change and the effects of ecological degradation due to wanton human activities.

Over the years, be it his speech at the “Endangered Tibet” conference in 1996 or his remarks at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), to name a few,  the Dalai Lama has not only cautioned about the global ramifications of “ecological neglect” in the “Third Pole” of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau but also emphasized the importance of the “spirit of solidarity and cooperation” to counter transnational challenges.

But if the world at large has thus far remained relatively unmindful of the Buddhist leader’s words, what is the relevance of the Dalai Lama’s climate advocacy today? First, there is a direct correlation between his teachings on the interdependence of species on each other and nature and the impact of human-driven environmental changes, including severe water shortages.

Second, the significance of the Dalai Lama’s advocacy for climate action is related to China’s repression of the Tibetan people and culture. This repression, in part, takes the form of accelerating Tibet’s climate crisis through myriad infrastructure developments (from mega-dams to over-mining). In this context, the Dalai Lama has not shied away from calling out China for not only neglecting the ecological devastation in the Tibetan Plateau but actively participating in the overexploitation of natural resources “without proper environmental safeguards.”

The third reason is the current highly divided political landscape where the democratic states, and not just in the West, are increasingly recognizing the imperative of countering China’s militaristic aims, including in Tibet. China’s financial and diplomatic support of several authoritarian regimes like Russia, North Korea, and Iran have also created greater concerns about the dangers to the liberal order. Thus, today, there is potential for greater receptivity of Tibetan concerns than ever.

What is the extent of Chinese activities on the Tibetan and Himalayan ecology? What specific measures must the West and partners like India take to address the ecological balance in the Himalayas?

The Climate Crisis in the Third Pole

The Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding mountainous areas are commonly considered the “Third Pole” because they are home to the largest reservoir of glaciers and ice sheets on earth after the Arctic and Antarctica polar regions. In effect, several major rivers such as the Mekong, Salween, Yellow, Yangtze, Yarlung Tsampo (Brahmaputra in India), Indus, Irrawaddy, Ganges, Sutlej, and Karnali fountain from the Plateau. Thus, it serves as the “Water Tower of Asia,” providing fresh water and vital sources of livelihood to billions of people not just in Tibet but across South and Southeast Asia.

Moreover, the Plateau is not only one of the most biodiverse regions in the world but also rich in minerals, including rare earth reserves. Additionally, it is surrounded by four biodiversity hotspots—biologically diverse but threatened areas—namely the Himalayas, Mountains of Southwest China, Mountains of Central Asia, and Indo Burma. These hotspots are not immune to the repercussions of climate change, including glacial melting and extreme weather events like flash floods. This is exacerbated by increased human activities—from unbridled infrastructure development to increased hostilities in the Himalayas.

In such a scenario, it is time that the world and its leaders champion an ethical approach to climate-change solutions, including proper and widespread dissemination of information among the general populace, something the Dalai Lama has always underscored. However, the challenges are far from over. The rise in decibel levels from the U.S.-China great power competition and Russia’s Ukraine invasion means that the Chinese will stake a claim over Tibetan resources more aggressively than ever.

China’s Infrastructure Spree: Unlikely to Slow Down?

China has been systematically undertaking infrastructure development in Tibet and Xinjiang over the last twenty years. This has had devastating results for the fragile Himalayan ecology, and lowland areas have witnessed increased flooding. The intensive infrastructure buildup has led to habitat fragmentation and increased air and noise pollution.

In 2006, after the Golmud-Lhasa railway line became operational, there was a massive boom in mining operations on the Tibetan plateau. Mining exploration revealed that there were deposits of over 110 types of minerals across 3,000 sites, with a value of more than $125 billion. This included large deposits of copper, chromium, gold, and lithium, as well as oil and gas reserves. The heightened mining activity led to protests by Tibetan nomads, citing poisoned drinking water and the deaths of herd animals. Moreover, there are reports of the forced resettlement of Tibetan nomads to make way for mining and hydropower projects.

Between 2021 and 2025, China has planned to spend approximately $30 billion on infrastructure projects in Tibet under the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan: “By 2025, the total mileage of highways in Tibet will exceed 120,000 km, and that of expressways will exceed 1,300 km.” This development plan includes roads, railways, airfields, border villages, telecommunication facilities, and hydroelectric projects.

Moreover, China’s construction of hydroelectric projects on the river Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), such as the sixty-gigawatt mega-dam, is concerning for downstream states like India and Bangladesh. It will impinge on the availability of water in downstream nations and create opportunities for coercion and conflict. It is important to note that in Chinese president Xi Jinping’s security-obsessed worldview, water is not a global common but a source of leverage to solidify regional domination.

As a result, the vision of a Sino-centric order as a “community with a shared future for mankind” is hogwash intended to mislead the international community from investigating China’s repressive policies in Tibet (and elsewhere) that have accelerated climate change via increased mining of valuable minerals, building “dual-use” infrastructure, and “whole-village” relocation of Tibetan nomads, who are essential to maintaining the ecosystem of the plateau.

The consequence of all this activity is the rapid degradation of delicate environs and habitats, such as wetlands, alpine meadows, and forests. Several endangered species, including the snow leopard and Tibetan antelope, which reside here, are thus further vulnerable. Not only is wildlife threatened, but a recent study indicated that if the prevailing temperature trends continued, the Himalayan glaciers might disappear entirely, “having a significant impact on regional water supplies, hydrological processes, ecosystem services, and transboundary water sharing.” Studies show the Tibetan Plateau is warming three times faster than other parts of the world, leading to retreating glaciers. Thus, the international community needs to act fast not only to counter China’s policies but also to spur climate action.

India & the West Must Join Forces

Clearly, Europe and the West must include the Himalayan region in their environmental strategies since the climate crisis in the Third Pole will soon escalate into a global emergency. Concurrently, China’s recent militarization efforts in the Tibetan Plateau that have transformed villages into resettlement zones, including dual-use infrastructure such as helipads, highways, oil pipelines, road and rail networks, and dams, must be countered together.

India faces even more onerous direct challenges due to its Himalayan territory coming under threat from climate change. In addition, India’s decades-long border dispute with China and the risks associated with China’s growing eco-hegemony, including unrestricted access to Tibet’s critical water resources, are also no less a threat.

Against this scenario, the fast-changing conditions at the Third Pole have not received much attention compared to the northern and southern polar ice caps. Often, the mainstream media, in particular, has focused excessively on the disputed borders rather than the region’s environment, which is relevant to global well-being. This needs to change, and a concerted approach to increase public awareness should be one of the main targets.

More importantly, reliable, informed, up-to-date scientific knowledge is essential to tackle this crisis. That being said, Europe and the West must collaborate with India and other “like-minded” nations to develop scientific programs for environmental and climate change monitoring, including both ground-based and satellite-based monitoring.

Moreover, as the partnerships within the still-emerging U.S.-led Indo-Pacific economic and security architecture continue to take shape, it is important to include the Himalayan climate and geopolitical concerns into the mix. Naturally, bilateral, minilateral, and multilateral cooperation that earnestly works at climate change solutions is all equally vital.

In this regard, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)’s Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP) is a welcome initiative. While it recognizes the need for “integrating resilience” into policies from investments to governance, the Quad must look into including the Third Pole specifically in this ambit. Similarly, the G7’s push to address the tripartite crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution is admirable.

As the group of 198 countries that have ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change get ready to meet for the COP29 held in Baku later this year, new frameworks and partnerships will be needed to scale up climate cooperation, particularly for the three polar regions. This is all the more pertinent as the COP29 Presidency’s plan is based on two mutually reinforcing parallel pillars. The first is to get all parties to commit via national action plans, and the second is to ensure the availability of finance to enable action, thereby reducing emissions, adjusting societies to the effects of climate change, and addressing damages. COP29 must integrate the mountain region’s challenges into the negotiation tracks.