Context: Permafrost melting is emerging as a unique environmental threat in the Kashmir Himalaya. A new study has found that thawing permafrost could affect infrastructure projects (roads, households, hydropower projects) and alpine lakes in the mountainous region.
Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Permafrost melting- Key Facts.
What is Permafrost?
- Permafrost is a layer of ground (soil, sediment, or rock) that remains frozen continuously for at least two consecutive years.
- It is mostly found in polar and high-altitude regions.
- Present in Alaska, Canada, Russia, Tibet, and the Himalayas.
- In India: Found extensively in the Kashmir Himalayas, Ladakh, and parts of Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
- Composition: Stores vast amounts of organic carbon locked for thousands of years.
- Significance: Crucial role in regulating water flows, maintaining ecosystem stability, and acting as a carbon sink.
Highlights of the Study
- Study by: Researchers from the University of Kashmir and IIT-Bombay.
- As per the study, permafrost covers 64.8% of the total geographic area of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh.
- It is dominated by continuous permafrost (most of the soil remains frozen year-round), followed by discontinuous (more than half of the soil is frozen), and sporadic (intermittent patches of frozen soil) permafrost.
- 87% of Ladakh has permafrost, while the foothill plains of Jammu, Shigar Valley, and Siwaliks do not host any permafrost.
Factors causing Permafrost degradation:
- Global Warming: Surface temperatures are rising due to climate change, leading to faster thawing. Data from 2002-2023 shows a steady increase in permafrost melting.
- Human Activities:
- Deforestation & Land-use change: Loss of vegetation reduces insulation, exposing permafrost to direct sunlight.
- Tourism & Infrastructure development contribute to permafrost degradation.
- Natural Disasters:
- Earthquakes & Glacial Movements: Seismic-activity leads to permafrost breakdown. Rock-ice avalanches, like the Chamoli disaster (2021), are intensified due to permafrost degradation.
- Wildfires: Burn vegetation cover, exposing the permafrost to solar radiation and higher temperatures.
Consequences of Permafrost Thawing:
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Permafrost contains huge amounts of carbon and methane, which releases on thawing, exacerbating global warming.
- Positive Feedback Loop: More thawing → More methane emissions → Faster global warming → Increased thawing.
- Formation of Proglacial Lakes: 332 proglacial lakes identified in J&K, with 65 at risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
- Disruptions in River flow: Permafrost stores water, and slowly releases it into rivers. Thawing disrupts the water regulation system and affects groundwater recharge and river flows.
- Landslides & Slope Failures: Permafrost degradation leads to weak soil stability and increases the risk of landslides.
- Road & Infrastructure Damage (roads, households, hydropower projects). Military Installations in Ladakh face risks posing national security challenges.
Way Forward
- Permafrost Mapping & Environment Impact Assessments (EIA) before construction.
- Use of Satellite Remote Sensing to track temperature variations & permafrost loss.
- Deploying Ground-based sensors to improve real-time data collection for accurate predictions.
- Afforestation & Ecosystem Restoration- insulates permafrost from direct sunlight.
- Implement resilient infrastructure designs to withstand permafrost thaw.
- Enhanced Disaster Preparedness and early warning systems for landslides, GLOFs, and floods.