Srinagar, June 3 -- A few days ago, as summer heat settled over Srinagar, a group of cab drivers waited for passengers under the afternoon sun. Their search was simple: they wanted shade.

One after another, they drove through busy roads and crowded neighbourhoods looking for a tree large enough to provide relief. Most came up empty-handed. Eventually, one driver found a patch of shade on the outskirts of the city.

That small episode says more about Srinagar than any official report.

A city once known for tree-lined roads, Chinar canopies, gardens, wetlands, and cool summers is slowly turning into a landscape of concrete, exposed roads, and shrinking green spaces. Rising temperatures have made the loss impossible to ignore.

Shade, whic...