News & Announcement

Message oF Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang on the occasion of World Environment Day

Date: 05-Jun-2020
Let us cherish our biodiversity as common heritage and build a resilient society
World Environment Day is celebrated on 5th June every year. It is the United Nations’ initiative to raise awareness and encourage actions for protecting our environment with the involvement of more than 143 countries. The theme for this year is biodiversity and this theme is very special for Sikkim.
India is among the 17 megadiverse countries of the world. Within India, Sikkim, nestled in the Himalaya global biodiversity hotspot, is known for its rich biodiversity. Sikkim is blessed with extreme variation in altitude ranging from 280 to 8,598 metres above sea level, covering humid sub-tropical valleys to temperate montane habitat, alpine meadows and trans-Himalayan cold desert. As a result, Sikkim sustains diverse assemblages of flora and fauna in habitats ranging from the tropical to the alpine. This variation also results in great ecosystem and species diversity. Sikkim has exceptional plant and animal diversity with over 5500 species of plants, including 557 species of orchids, 11 oak species, 28 bamboo species, and nearly half of the nation's bird diversity. As many as 165 plant species have been named after Sikkim.
Mt. Khangchendzonga, the world’s third highest peak in the world and the highest in India, is revered by the people of Sikkim as a guardian deity. Our forefathers referred to Sikkim as Beyul Demajong, the “hidden valley of rice”. They developed intricate relationships with nature, nurtured through reverence, traditional knowledge, and resource use practices refined over centuries. It is a matter of pride that Dr Salim Ali, the renowned ornithologist praised the people of Sikkim for their knowledge as he found that there were local names for almost all the birds reported from the state. Although only about 12% of the geographical area is under agriculture, Sikkim’s farmers have been maintaining high agrobiodiversity, which provides a source of livelihood for over 64% of its population. The agroforestry practices that have been developed here, like large cardamom agroforestry, support both economy and environment, maintain forest cover and provide significant cash income to farmers. Organic agriculture is an age-old traditional practice in Sikkim that has recently gained global recognition.
Sikkim has been a pioneer in biodiversity conservation. Ecotourism initiatives began in Sikkim in the 1990s and it soon became as one of the best ecotourism destinations in the Eastern Himalaya. In recent years, Sikkim has also led the way in pioneering research on biodiversity and climate change. Many young scientists are carrying out quality research on the biodiversity of Sikkim, including exciting work on how species are moving upwards as a strategy to adapt to climate change. Researchers from Sikkim University have recently recorded a new species of butterfly and also showed evidence of how organic farming supports butterfly species diversity. Recognizing the various efforts made by Sikkim in balancing nature and culture, the Khangchendzonga National Park was inscribed as India’s first “Mixed World Heritage Site” on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Sikkimese people are proud of this recognition.
However, like other mountain areas, Sikkim is faced with a number of serious issues that threaten the environment, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of its people. A recent regional assessment revealed that climate change is emerging as a major driver of change and causing visible impacts in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Glaciers are melting faster, flowering periods have advanced, rainfall has been erratic, and we are witnessing higher temperatures each year. As a result of climate change the frequency of natural disasters has increased, outbreaks of malaria and dengue are being reported from higher altitudes, new pests and diseases are infesting crops, and invasive species are spreading into new areas. Researchers fear that the impact of climate change might even lead to the extinction of some species in Sikkim. We need to meet these challenges head on to conserve Sikkim’s biodiversity and sustain the flow of ecosystem goods and services that contribute to the wellbeing of people in the state and downstream.
Sikkim is also paying a price for its conservation successes. In many areas, successful conservation has led to increasing wildlife populations and growing human-wildlife conflict. Traditional practices and traditional knowledge are also being eroded or lost. For example, yak herding in north Sikkim, an age-old tradition of the high mountains, is slowly dying due to both changing climate and a new generation that is less interested in herding as a livelihood option. Then there are emerging conservation challenges. With climate change, the protected areas in Sikkim are required to be bridged for greater biodiversity and ecosystem services.
The greatest lesson from this year is that emerging infectious diseases pose a major threat to civilization. Scientists believe that habitat loss and trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is one of the major reasons for the spread of zoonotic disease such as COVID-19. With the coronavirus, it is clear that human health and wellbeing is linked with the health of habitats and the overall health of our planet. The only option we have is to treat nature with respect and use her resources sustainably.
Finally, we are all in this together. Sikkim is a part of the greater Himalayan ecosystem with links to Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and the state of West Bengal in the south. The common challenges need to be addressed through greater regional cooperation. I feel happy to see Sikkim as a partner of the landscape initiative in the Khangchendzonga complex. The recent exchange of breeding yak bulls from Bhutan to Sikkim and Nepal and regional dialogue on large cardamom were good examples of regional cooperation which should be further strengthened.
It is revealing that this year’s World Environment Day reminds us that it’s time for nature. This is timely as the whole world is facing a pandemic and there is increasing evidence that this is a result of the degradation and unwise use of nature.
On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2020, let us resolve to safeguard nature and double our efforts at building social-ecological resilience in Sikkim.
Once again my best wishes to everyone for a Happy World Environment Day!
Prem Singh Tamang
Chief Minister of Sikkim