Mountain communities have traditionally followed a sustainable way of life. Yet, as the Earth warms up due to increased carbon emissions, these communities have experienced the highest ecological impact with melting ice and a drastic change in crop patterns leading to natural disasters and food insecurity. As we work towards mitigating the climate crisis now, these communities can play an important role by preserving and reducing carbon emissions in already fragile ecosystems. The Challenge The biggest challenge in helping mountain communities become climate resilient ecosystems is to identify how to do this in an efficient and sustainable manner. How can we achieve our goal with the least impact on the environment, and with zero or low-carbon emissions? Access to electricity, transportation and education are basic requirements for the holistic development of any community. As important as they are though, they bring with them their own pitfalls. Conservative estimates suggest that an efficient diesel generator servicing a household in Ladakh, for instance, emits approximately 1,800kg of carbon in a year. Multiplying this across households gives us a startling picture of the extent of the problem and the work required to undo the damage. Adopting Carbon-reducing Measures As we work towards building a sustainable future, many organisations and institutions have come together to adopt innovative approaches to build low-carbon communities. 1. Solving Electricity Needs through Solar Energy As solar energy systems become affordable and efficient, they can feed entire communities with carbon-free energy access, helping them along on the path to self-reliance and a more sustainable future. There have been multiple models of solar-run communities, such as those in Sonoma, California, Pilbara, Australia and in the higher Trans-Himalayan regions of Ladakh, where solar-based microgrids were setup to meet the energy needs of the local population. Fig 1: Solar microgrid powering a Himalayan Household 2. Adopting Modern Heating Methods Mountains experience harsh temperatures, especially during the winter months, and heating needs are usually met by burning wood or using heaters that rely entirely on fossil fuels. For mountain communities, heating is a necessity, and it’s the largest source of carbon emissions. Alternative sources such as solar and geothermal energy can take care of significant heating needs. Wider access and adoption of these technologies could definitely help in reducing the overall carbon footprint of the communities. This can also be achieved by using natural properties of glass to create greenhouse heating methods, or designing a solar passive structure, and additionally deploying thermal heat exchangers that use the warmth from the air and use special liquid refrigerant filled in tubes to meet the heating needs of a home. Fig 2: Passive Solar Structure 3. Innovating in Transportation Globally, transportation is the largest contributor of carbon emissions and has a significant footprint in absolute terms according to the EPA. But communities in the mountains rely heavily on transport vehicles for their supplies. So, the building of new roads in Ladakh to connect various communities to arterial hubs has had a serious impact on the environment, especially on ice formation. The once famous Chadar Trek, for instance, where a frozen river made remote areas in Zanskar accessible to locals and adventure travellers, has been damaged irreversibly. Constructing cableways between villages nearby can be a carbon-efficient method of transportation. Additionally, developing local farmlands and greenhouse infrastructure, using recycled natural materials from the region, can make communities self-reliant and reduce their carbon footprint by reducing their dependence on vehicles for food supplies. Fig 3: Gulmarg Cableways for Transportation 4. Managing Local Waste Better Organic waste generated in the communities has always been composted and recycled within the same ecosystem. It has a negligible impact on carbon emissions overall. The main cause of worry though are the growing mounds of dry waste or plastics and inorganic matter that don’t get processed because of inefficient or non-existent waste management systems. Plastics are often burnt, adding a huge amount of carbon to the environment. Proper segregation of waste, banning of plastics, and opting for sustainable alternatives, such as bamboo-based products is essential to reduce and eventually, remove carbon from the ecosystem. Recycling and upcycling of waste into value-added products could also help close the loop, and create a circular economy Fig 4: Waste Segregation Unit in Ladakh 5. Use of sustainable building materials There is huge scope of improvement in building materials and less in number. The usage of Hemp concrete formed from the raw fiber also has properties of removing carbon from the environment. Ferrok is an upcoming alternative to cement and has properties of removing carbon from the environment. About 95% of the material is derived from recyclable materials. Ferrok has particularly been successful in the mountain and rural settings as the houses are smaller Additionally, there is a huge scope of development in building designs and large windows and insulation improvements can be made within the houses to have natural thermal heating and reduce the additional energy required for heating. Such innovations will go a long way in removing excess carbon from the environment and building cleaner communities. Fig 5: Sustainable Bricks made of Earth How do we build a Sustainable Low-carbon Community? Building low-carbon communities requires a holistic approach and constant investment from the community as well as the government, which is amiss at the moment. Mountain communities, which are sparsely populated, are often lowest in the list of a government’s investment priorities, with the focus squarely on developing high-density regions. Further, due to their location — high altitude and difficult terrain — these regions require higher investment for infrastructure and development. 1. Using Tourism as a Force for Development Tourism is a pervasive force, and until the pandemic brought the global economy to a standstill, it was contributing about 10% of the world’s GDP. The mountains — with their incredible beauty, wide expanses and hidden treasures — are naturally conducive to responsible tourism, which can bring development and alternative livelihoods to remote communities in an efficient, carbon-neutral way. If leveraged well, tourism can also help attract investments required to build necessary infrastructure for the communities. GHE has built a unique model of tourism that creates clean energy-based ecosystems and catalyses the overall development of the mountain communities of Ladakh. Fig 6: GHE Expedition team members Installing a Solar Microgrid 2. Policy Level Initiatives Bhutan has set a great example by adopting Carbon Neutrality at the policy level and by building interconnected National Parks to reduce their carbon footprint and create wildlife corridors for the preservation of biodiversity. Further, Bhutan has been successful in increasing its forest cover without impacting the communities. This model shows how governments with sound policies can create a positive impact by proactively designing guidelines that reduce carbon emissions. 3. Investment from Private Institutions Private institutions today have become more aware and proactive in reducing their carbon footprint. Through Carbon Offset Investments or CSR, the funds can be channeled to build sustainable, carbon-neutral destinations. What Does it Take to Make a Modern Carbon-neutral Village? Step 1 - Conduct a need assessment of the village and map the carbon producing sources Step 2 - Identify the solutions that will help reduce carbon Step 3 - Find Partnerships and investments that will help finance the infrastructure Step 4 - Use the investment to build basic social infrastructure tied with social outcomes Step 5 - Build a sustainable model of development for a constant inflow of income (Destination Building, Homestay Building) Step 6 - Introduce a Green Fee or Village Carbon Fee to help maintain the infrastructure Step 7 - Set up a sustainable model of continuous investment of this fee Step 8 - Work with villagers in measuring the impact of the intervention 0 Commenting Overall Comment Leave Your Comment
Was sagen Sie zu Ihrer Bank anstatt zum 22bet schweiz ? Inhaltsverzeichnis Wie wird die prozentuale Rückzahlung in 22bet schweiz berechnet? Welche Art von C...
Climate Action for the Last Mile Climate action and associated jargons are up and running again. The world has been pondering for a long time yielding a slow progress. We all have made major efforts in passing blames. What started...
Solar Water Heaters for COVID Relief Community residing in the high lands of Himalayas face multiple challenges for their survival. Though their struggles come in various forms, the solutions come in one form- Nature! Relying on the n...