Religious tourism and climate change: a qualitative study on India’s sinking Himalayan town

Abstract

Religion serves as an identifier that goes beyond national boundaries, and, as a result, it has an impact on numerous environmentally significant actions. Therefore, understanding its influence is crucial in addressing climate change-related issues that are inherently transboundary. To comprehend the cultural aspects of climate change, it is essential to acknowledge its religious dimensions. Given that climate change is interwoven with human activities, it is also intertwined with religion’s influence on human behavior and lifestyle. In light of this, the present study is designed to explore the factors that are responsible for the climate- and environment-related issues in the Himalayan town of Joshimath from the religious perspective. This study adopts a qualitative approach, involving semi-structured interviews conducted with local residents. To attain the study’s objectives, thematic and content analysis was used to examine the data via NVivo 12. The study identifies four factors intertwined with religion that are leading to climate change, namely: (1) perception and faith; (2) consumption patterns; (3) willingness to take action; and (4) geographical location. Analysis also revealed that religion influences numerous facets of lifestyle that impact the environment. The findings from this study will provide valuable assistance to policy makers in creating a suitable framework to sustain the destination. Furthermore, the research contributes theoretically by examining the overarching connection between religion and climate change.