India, Feb. 16 -- Over the past two decades, hydropower has reshaped development pathways in the Himalayas. It has been aggressively promoted as clean energy that can meet climate goals, while also driving economic growth. The Hindu Kush Himalaya is widely recognised as a storehouse of untapped green energy, with estimates exceeding 3.5 terawatts (TW) of renewable potential, including nearly 882 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower.

However, this expansion is unfolding in one of the world's most geologically fragile mountain systems. Nowhere is this tension more visible than in the Eastern Himalayas, where climate risks are intensifying rapidly. Over time, these shifting risks have exposed how large hydropower projects can amplify, rather than a...