Kashmir, the ruggedly beautiful mountainous region that lies along the India-Pakistan border, was long known as 'paradise on earth,' but in recent decades it has been more like hell thanks to the bloody conflict that has claimed over 90,000 lives. Now relative peace has returned to the region but another disaster looms: The glaciers, rivers, and forests in Kashmir are disappearing.
Kashmir's Disappearing Himalaya
Published December 20, 2009
People across the globe are learning that the glaciers in the western Himalaya are receding as fast as any place on the planet. But few know how the glacier's recession is measured. In September, I joined an expedition team led by one of the foremost glaciologists in India, and trekked to Kolohai glacier. These pictures show how the measurements on Kashmir's glaciers are taken and gives insight into the lives of people already affected by climate change.
Water issues affect us all, from the women who spend hours daily fetching water to political battles over international rivers to melting icepack and rising sea levels. We are all downstream.
Rebecca Byerly will be a panelist at the USIP event on Kashmir. In addition to speaking, she has arranged several videos of Kashmiris on the ground to be shown during the conference to give policy...
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Rebecca Byerly is a free-lance journalist, producer, and adventure athlete. Reporting for Al Jazeera English, CNN.com, National Geographic, and Voice of America, she has covered stories...
