SKUAST-K’s Green Campus Roadmap |
Climate change is no longer a far-off environmental concern confined to scientific discussions and policy documents. The Himalayan region of Kashmir stands at the centre of this emerging climate challenge.
Extreme weather events have further intensified these problems. The devastating floods of 2014, which affected nearly 2.5 million people, claimed more than 280 lives, and caused estimated economic losses of around ₹1 lakh crore, remind us of Kashmir’s vulnerability to climate extremes. The unpredictability continues during 2026; J&K witnessed a marked increase in extreme rainfall events. According to the Director of the Meteorological Center, Kashmir, DrMukhtar Ahmad, 44 cloudbursts have struck Jammu and Kashmir since the onset of the monsoon this year, claiming about 35lives. These cloudburst incidents further triggered flash floods in Districts including Shopian, Anantnag, Bandipora and Budgam. The events have caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes and agricultural land, underscoring the region’s increasing vulnerability to climate-induced weather vagaries and the growing frequency of high-impact rainfall events.
Universities as Climate Solution HubsFor a region where agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and natural resources sustain millions of livelihoods, climate resilience is now a necessity. In this backdrop, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has developed and........