Policy Update
Sivapriya
Background
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NM-SHE) is an initiative launched in 2014, as one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and falls under the observation and implementation of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The Himalayan ecosystem is one of the largest resources of snow and ice and remains a vulnerable ecosystem due to the consequences of climate change and developmental issues.
The mission aims to develop national capacity to continuously assess the status/condition of the Himalayan Ecosystem, enabling decision-makers in their policy formulation functions and assisting states in implementing actions that respond to the country’s climate-resilient and sustainable development agenda.
Primary objectives
The primary objectives of the scheme are:
- To establish a sustainable national capacity for continuously assessing the health of the Himalayan Ecosystem.
- To create a comprehensive database on geological, hydrological, biological, and socio-cultural aspects, including traditional knowledge systems.
- Detecting and predicting environmental changes and their socio-economic/ecological impacts, designing growth strategies for mountain regions and dependent lowland systems.
- Studying traditional knowledge for community adaptation, mitigation, and coping mechanisms, and evaluating policy alternatives for sustainable tourism and resource management.
- Creating awareness among stakeholders and fostering regional cooperation with neighboring countries for data exchange and policy interventions.
Functioning
The Union Cabinet approved NMSHE with a budget outlay of Rs. 550 crore during the 12th five year plan. Under which, Rs. 45 crore was allotted separately for establishing the National Centre for Himalayan Glaciology, and a provision of Rs.150 crores was allotted for networked initiatives. The mission covers all 12 Himalayan States of India in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) – Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, and West Bengal, spanning over 5.3 lakh sq. km and a length of 2500 km.
The scheme is monitored periodically, at least twice a year, by a High-Powered Committee. Progress reports are periodically reviewed by the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change. Bi-annual advisories are to be provided to the Himalayan Sustainable Development Forum through the State Councils for Climate Change.
Impact and Performance
The scheme plans to train around 100 professionals in areas related to sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem. A minimum of 25 glaciologists will be made available for research and development. Additionally, at least 100 technical experts will be trained for environmental impact assessment in the Himalayan ecosystem.
The scheme has established a National Center for Himalayan Glaciology designed for intramural and extramural glaciological research, at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun, with a nucleus center initiated in December 2008 and was formally established in 2011. It has also established about 10 new centers in existing institutions in areas of knowledge gaps, particularly in the areas of Himalayan glaciology, ecology and biodiversity mapping, traditional knowledge systems, forestry for biological carbon capture, ecotourism services, and policy research.
The scheme is in the process of building six task forces in the areas of natural and geological wealth, water, snow and glaciers, forest cover and plant diversity, micro flora and fauna, wildlife and animal population, and traditional knowledge systems.
State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) have been established in 11 out of 12 Himalayan States to build on their institutional capacity by focusing on vulnerability assessment, public awareness, and training for adaptation planning. Additionally, the scheme has supported the Inter-University Consortium on Cryosphere and Climate Change (IUCCC), to conduct research on the cryosphere and water availability.
The Department of Science & Technology (DST), in collaboration with the 12 Himalayan States, has produced a first-of-its-kind vulnerability map and report for the entire Himalayan region. This involved workshops that trained 88 representatives from the 12 states in 2018, helping them conduct district-level vulnerability assessments for the 2030s using an indicator-based approach with the goal of identifying vulnerability drivers and prioritizing adaptation strategies. The department is also working to establish the Himalayan Sustainable Development Forum (HSDF) as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogues, based on the Shimla Declaration on Sustainable Himalayan Development (2009) and is expected to develop bi-annual advisories through State Councils for Climate Change.
Additionally, the scheme has focused on establishing a component for contributing towards policy formulation and establishing a Governance for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (G-SHE). The broad guidelines will cover themes under urbanization, tourism, water security, energy, forest management and infrastructure.
Challenges
- Financial Constraints: The mission, as part of the broader National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC), has faced significant funding issues. While NMSHE was approved with a budget outlay of Rs. 550 crore for the 12th Five-Year Plan, and Rs. 195 crores for the 11th Plan, the overall NAPCC has been described as “grossly underfunded”, making it difficult for local governments to meet their targets.
- Knowledge and data gaps: The Himalayan region is recognized as data-deficient in terms of climate monitoring. There is a noted lack of reliable and authentic data on the Himalayan ecosystem, its integrity, land cover, and water availability. Comprehensive efforts are needed for data collection, standardization, and interoperability. Scientific evidence is not yet conclusive regarding whether the retreat of Himalayan glaciers is solely caused by climate change.
- Coordination and governance issues: Coordination among various research, scientific institutions, and ministries has been a major challenge, leading to distributed objectives and implementation delays. The Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change (PMCCC), which guides the NAPCC, has shown limited activity and is operating with a limited staff.
- Institutional issues: A lack of skilled expert manpower poses a challenge to the mission’s implementation. Tracking the status of various missions under NAPCC is difficult due to a lack of detailed information from officers and frequent changes in budget heads and schemes.
Way forward
There is a need to address the lack of financial resources and ensure adequate and consistent funding for effective climate resilience strategies. Overcoming the challenge of fragmented approaches among ministries and stakeholders is vital. NMSHE needs to reinforce its coordination mechanisms among the Union Government and, Himalayan States for cohesive actions. The mission should continue to build upon and integrate the traditional knowledge of Himalayan communities with scientific approaches for conservation.
Sustained efforts in institutional and human capacity building are crucial, especially for state-level adaptation planning, implementation, and training experts like glaciologists. There is an urgent need to augment initiatives for long-term ecological and weather monitoring across the Himalayas, as the region remains “data deficient”. This will provide the crucial scientific basis for understanding ecosystem evolution.
NMSHE represents a comprehensive governmental effort to safeguard the vulnerable Himalayan ecosystem and its dependent communities from climate change. While it has made progress in establishing institutional and human capacities, fostering research, and developing policy guidelines, the challenges remain substantial, which require continued efforts from the government to ensure India remains climate-resilient.
References
- CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR THE INDIAN HIMALAYAN REGION USING A COMMON FRAMEWORK. (n.d.). https://dst.gov.in/sites/default/files/IHCAP_Climate%20Vulnerability%20Assessment_30Nov2018_Final_aw.pdf
- Governance for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem G-SHE GUIDELINES & BEST PRACTICES. (n.d.). Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2018/04/G-SHE_Book_2.pdf
- NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINING THE HIMALAYAN ECO-SYSTEM Under National Action Plan on Climate Change. (2010). https://dst.gov.in/sites/default/files/NMSHE_Mission_document.pdf
- NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINING THE HIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEM (NMSHE). (2016). https://glaciology.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NMSHE-brochure_new-1.pdf
- National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) | National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee. (n.d.). Nihroorkee.gov.in. https://nihroorkee.gov.in/major-projects/national-mission-sustaining-himalayan-ecosystem-nmshe
About the contributor:
Sivapriya is an intern at IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute.
Acknowledgement:
The author sincerely thanks Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja and the IMPRI team for their valuable support.
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organization.
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