Mitigation or Myth? Impacts of Hydropower Development and Compensatory Afforestation on forest ecosystems in the high Himalayas

Abstract

Fragile ecosystems of the Himalayas have seen rampant land-use changes in recent times due to proliferation of hydropower development promoted as a climate change mitigation strategy for global energy transition. Further, in order to mitigate the loss of forest lands diverted for hydropower projects, countries like India have compensatory afforestation policies, which have meant more physical interference in natural landscapes, whose long-term consequences remain under-researched. This study conducted between 2012 and 2016 uses information from government data and ground research to examine the extent, nature and impact of forest diversion for hydropower projects in the remote, ecologically vulnerable Kinnaur Division of Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayas. It also studies the implementation of ‘compensatory afforestation’ undertaken as a ‘mitigation’ strategy as part of this forest diversion process. The study found that not only have construction activities for hydropower projects impacted existing land-use, disturbed forest biodiversity and fragmented the forest landscape, but the related compensatory afforestation plantations are also ridden with problems. These include abysmally low presence of surviving saplings (upto 10%) interspecies conflict, infringement on local land usage, and damage by wildfires and landslides. The study critically examines the role of state led institutions and global green growth policies in driving and legitimizing these developments in the name of ‘mitigation’, ultimately causing more harm to fragile local ecosystems and communities dependent on these.