Stockholm, Sweden — More than International 25 experts published a new Stockholm paper entitled "Wither Tibet in the Climate Crisis Agenda? " and warned that the Tibetan Plateau is undergoing one of the most dramatic and least studied ecological transformations in the world today. Yet, despite its ecological importance, Tibet remains largely absent from global climate governance frameworks and mechanisms, therefore, Tibet must no longer remain the blind spot of global environmental governance.
The Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) has released a new Stockholm Paper titled "Wither Tibet in the Climate Crisis Agenda?" in October, 2025.
Stockholm Paper states, “The Tibetan Plateau is undergoing one of the most dramatic and least scrutinized ecological transformations in the world today. It is warming at more than twice the global average: glaciers are retreating, permafrost is thawing, grasslands are degrading, and the rhythms of water flow that support life across much of Asia are being disrupted. These are not abstract shifts—they are crisis conditions.
“The term “climate crisis” is used deliberately in this volume to reflect both the urgency and severity of the ecological unraveling of Tibet, and to highlight its far-reaching human, environmental, and geopolitical implications. This study emerges from a growing recognition that Tibet lies at the nexus of some of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change, environmental justice, Indigenous rights, regional security, and the politics of development.
“It draws on a wide range of scholarly, policy, and civil society perspectives to provide a consolidated set of recommendations across 10 thematic areas— from transboundary water governance to climate accountability and rights-based environmental protection. At its core is a call for greater international engagement in ensuring that the Tibetan Plateau is not rendered invisible in global climate discourse.
“Tibet is the source of ten major rivers that sustain nearly two billion people across South and Southeast Asia. Its glaciers, snowfields, and high-altitude wetlands regulate water availability from the Indus and Ganges to the Mekong and Yangtze. As these water towers melt and fragment, downstream communities face increasing risks of floods, droughts, and food insecurity. Yet, despite this ecological centrality, Tibet remains largely absent from the frameworks and mechanisms of global climate governance.
“What happens in Tibet does not stay in Tibet. The plateau’s degradation carries continental and even planetary consequences—affecting monsoon systems, carbon cycles, and biodiversity corridors. The failure to address Tibet in platforms like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reflects a deeper governance gap, where political sensitivities trump ecological urgency.
“A core concern explored in this report is how China’s state-centric, growthdriven governance model in Tibet fuels both climate breakdown and social dislocation. The Chinese Communist Party (CPC) often frames Tibet’s environment as an obstacle to be conquered or a resource to be harnessed. Official white papers speak of “ecological civilization” and poverty alleviation, but rarely acknowledge the critical vulnerabilities, fast-changing climate, or ecological damage caused by infrastructure expansion, militarization, and resource extraction.
“Under the guise of national development, Tibet has been subjected to vast infrastructure projects—including highways, railways, dams, and airports— that double as instruments of territorial control and military preparedness. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) plays a key role in these developments, often operating with little regard for local ecology or communities. Militarization in remote areas, the construction of dual-use infrastructure, and the conduct of high-altitude exercises further disturb fragile permafrost zones and alpine ecosystems.
“Meanwhile, China’s claim to global environmental leadership, as the top investor in renewables and a vocal participant in climate summits, is contradicted by its domestic actions in Tibet. Massive hydropower expansion, continued coal dependency, and increasing repression of environmental activism reveal a troubling duality. This disconnect undermines international climate trust and cooperation.
“Among the most alarming developments is China’s effort to turn Tibet into a hydropower superbase. Projects like the Medog mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra)—estimated to cost over USD 160 billion—are celebrated domestically as symbols of technological triumph. Yet they carry the risk of geological instability, landslides, seismic activity, and massive downstream disruption for countries like India and Bangladesh. Even within Tibet, displacement by large dams is a troubling factor for local populations The Chinese state maintains strict secrecy over these projects, refusing to share detailed data, environmental assessments, or emergency planning protocols. This opacity is not just environmentally negligent; it is geopolitically provocative. It raises the real possibility that water could be weaponised and used as leverage or a threat in regional disputes. As such, the management of Tibet’s rivers has become a critical geo-economic and strategic issue, underscoring the need for new regional frameworks for transboundary river governance.
“Tibet is also central to China’s global race for critical raw materials (CRMs) such as lithium, copper, rare earths, and gold—resources essential for green technologies and modern industries. These minerals are being extracted with minimal environmental regulation, poor labor standards, and systematic exclusion of Tibetan voices.
“PRC mining operations in Tibet must be understood not only in terms of ecological degradation but also through the lens of extractive colonialism. As the report shows, mining projects are frequently accompanied by forced displacement, militarization, and tight surveillance. The People’s Armed Police (PAP) is often involved in mining operations; revealing how economic and security agendas are interlinked.
“In contrast to China’s green branding, the reality on the ground is one of environmental damage, Indigenous disenfranchisement, and lack of accountability. If global firms and governments fail to push for supply chain due diligence, Tibetan minerals will continue to fuel green transitions elsewhere at the cost of ecological devastation and cultural erasure in Tibet.
“Between 2000 and 2025, nearly 930,000 Tibetans have been forcibly relocated—ostensibly for development, ecological protection, or to end nomadic lifestyles. The vast majority of these relocations have occurred under Xi Jinping’s leadership, coinciding with an intensification of assimilationist policies. Many communities have been displaced multiple times, often with inadequate compensation or alternatives for sustainable livelihoods.
“These displacements intersect with broader efforts to re-engineer Tibetan society, including educational assimilation, suppression of the Tibetan language, control over religious institutions, and demographic manipulation via Han migration incentives. This not only undermines cultural survival but also removes communities from traditional ecological stewardship roles, deepening the climate crisis.
“By framing traditional nomadic practices as backward or inefficient, the Chinese state has sidelined Indigenous ecological knowledge essential for the sustainable management of fragile high-altitude ecosystems.
“Despite its planetary significance, Tibet remains marginalized in global climate discussions. Political sensitivities around Chinese sovereignty have led most governments and multilateral bodies to tread cautiously even as ecological thresholds are being crossed. As COP30 approaches, the global community must recognize Tibet and the broader Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region as critical frontlines of the climate emergency. The stakes are continental, and the urgency is profound.
“Countries like the United Kingdom, with its permanent seat on the UN Security Council and growing Indo-Pacific commitments, are uniquely positioned to raise Tibet’s ecological crisis to the level of global security discourse. Similarly, Japan, through its Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet and international development programs, has demonstrated how a nuanced, multilateral Tibet policy can balance strategic interests with environmental justice.
“International climate cooperation must no longer be held hostage to the illusion of Chinese good faith. The legitimacy of global climate governance depends on confronting ecological authoritarianism and holding all powers accountable.
“What is happening in Tibet is not just about glaciers melting or weather patterns shifting. It is about a systemic transformation of one of the world’s most sensitive ecological regions, driven by authoritarian development, extractive expansion, and militarized governance. It is a crisis where identity, sovereignty and geopolitics all come together.
“The demographic, hydrological, and ecological composition of Tibet is changing in ways that may not be able to be reversed. It is disrupting climate systems that sustain billions of people, threatening regional water security, and destroying the basis of Tibetan cultural continuity.
“The policies that enable this transformation are not simply domestic decisions; they have global ramifications. As a result, they require international attention, accountability, and collective action,” the paper said.
International experts also urged the UN, international environmental experts, and scientists to pay special attention to the Tibetan Plateau and its critical changes, such as snowmelt due to human activity and destruction. Make the voices of Tibetan representatives heard in discussions at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and other environmental and climate forums. Integrate Tibet and the HKH ecosystem into the global climate architecture: COP, UNFCCC, CBD, SDGs, and UN treaty monitoring frameworks.
