Overview
- Jammu and Kashmir launched a consultative process to draft a dedicated Mountain Development Policy, announced Monday at the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit in Srinagar.
- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed the Forest and Environment Department and the Public Works Department to jointly adopt slope‑stabilisation and sustainable engineering standards for all projects.
- Abdullah warned that visible climate shifts such as glacier retreat, erratic snowfall and landslides are raising risks to water supplies, farms and roads and must shape the policy’s priorities.
- Organisers released practitioner resources at the summit, including a farmer guide on agricultural carbon markets and an Article 6.2 toolkit from SKUAST‑K, IIED and VCMI to help link local practices with carbon finance.
- The policy remains under development and its impact will hinge on broad stakeholder input plus the translation of summit recommendations into funded, enforceable programs that protect livelihoods and manage tourism pressure.