Editorial . . . . . . 

A physical manifestation of climate change is the regular occurrence of unprecedented catastrophic disasters. There has been a lot of death and destruction in the world as a result of the intense heat, erratic rain and thunder, dangerous floods and droughts, enormous landslides, and towering sea waves. The rising trend in the average global temperature portends terrible times for humanity in the not-too-distant future. Indeed, the viability of the animal kingdom may be threatened by both global warming and the environment’s pollution. It has an impact on the global climate and weather, which may have dire repercussions. People continue to be indifferent to its underlying causes. The irony is that, in the name of “progress,” nature is being actively exploited. Or, to put it another way, humans bite the hands that feed them. Smoke and toxic gas emissions from many sectors and automobiles continuously release greenhouse gases (GHS), which contribute to air pollution and global warming. The gases known as greenhouse gases (GHGs), which include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), are a subset of this wider group. The long-wave infrared light that the Earth emits and maintains the atmosphere warm is absorbed by CFC chemicals. HFCs, on the other hand, is artificial greenhouse gases that are mostly utilized in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. HFCs deplete the ozone layer, which serves as armour by shielding the earth from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, by destroying the ozone molecules. The unbearable heat wave is another adverse consequence of environmental change that has given wildfires a terrifying new dimension and increased the danger in several places of the world. Environmental issues have been made worse by deforestation, hill cutting, illogical mining, burning of fossil fuels, and dispersing polluting products. The clean, green environment is getting harder to regenerate, the glaciers are melting, the sea level is increasing, the potable water sources are running dry, and all of these factors are mirroring the visible environmental change occurring throughout the world.

The natural order requires us to live for one another. For a better tomorrow, people must put out the effort. Clean, environmentally friendly energy might be a good choice for a brighter future. The good news is that the government has started taking some environmentally beneficial measures, such as blending 10% ethanol into gasoline to reduce carbon emissions, promoting the creation of solar energy, banning single-use plastics, etc. A media article from July 1, 2022, claims that the nation has outlawed the production and distribution of single-use plastic. Given that civilization is right in the center of a serious environmental vortex, this action is unquestionably a speck of light. Without popular support and cooperation, government initiatives even simple legislation would never succeed. Every person should pledge to save the feverish society because they are all vital pillars of the environmental citadel. People may help create a pollution-free, healthy environment by planting more trees, recycling household waste, decreasing garbage, using public transportation, and conserving power. If the world’s leaders would put aside their differences and work together to avert environmental change from reaching a critical threshold, our global village would eventually perish.

The government of J&K has introduced a ground-breaking programme called “Har Gaon Haryali” in line with the goals of the “Green Jammu and Kashmir” campaign to ensure sustainable development and advance climate justice throughout the Union Territory. If this effort is viewed in the proper light, it will also aid in preserving ecological harmony and, as a result, the delicate ecosystem and abundant biodiversity of Jammu and Kashmir’s Himalayan terrain.