India, June 5 -- In July 2023, Himachal Pradesh endured a season of destruction. Monsoon rainfall ran nearly 50% above normal, triggering cloudbursts and landslides claiming over 360 lives and causing damages exceeding Rs.4,000 crore. This signals a shift in the operating conditions for Himalayan governance. Glaciers are retreating, snowfall and rainfall patterns are changing, and valley towns face deteriorating air quality. The stability of this mountain system, often called the Third Pole, determines the water and energy security of billions of people in the subcontinent.

Success under these conditions requires speed. Decarbonising remains essential because carbon dioxide persists in the atmosphere for centuries.

Yet, this alone canno...