𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲
I captured this photograph just after the heavy rainfall last week. The sky had cleared, and the Himalayan mountains were glowing in the golden light. It was a beautiful sight. But looking at those mountains also made me think about how vulnerable they have become and how much is at stake for millions of people who depend on them. We talk about development, economic growth, and prosperity. We talk about building wealth and improving people's lives. But somewhere along the way, we seem to have forgotten that development cannot be sustainable if it comes at the cost of our planet, our natural resources, and the lives and livelihoods of others. Every year, thousands of conferences, workshops, policy dialogues, and international gatherings take place around the world. Climate change, rising temperatures, melting glaciers, water insecurity, and environmental degradation are discussed repeatedly. We hear commitments, recommendations, and ambitious promises, particularly at the Conferen...