Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve becomes India’s 13th UNESCO-recognised site globally.
Reserve hosts unique high-altitude flora, fauna, and 12,000 local residents.
Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall threaten biodiversity and traditional livelihoods in region.
India has added the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve as in its network of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserves, taking the total count to 13 on September 27. The announcement came during the fifth World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in Hangzhou, China, where 26 new sites were added worldwide.
This is India’s first high-altitude cold desert biosphere reserve and one of the coldest and driest ecosystems in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Spanning 7,770 square kilometres at altitudes between 3,300 and 6,600 metres, the site houses windswept plateaus, glacial valleys, alpine lakes and rugged high-altitude deserts. It covers Pin Valley National Park and its surroundings, including Chandratal, Sarchu and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve harbours 732 species of vascular plants, including 30 endemics and 157 near-endemics of the Indian Himalayas. It also shelters iconic wildlife such as the snow leopard, Himalayan ibex, blue sheep, Himalayan wolf, golden eagle and Himalayan snowcock.
The trans-Himalayan region supports around 12,000 residents in scattered villages, dependent on pastoralism, yak and goat herding, small-scale farming and traditional Tibetan medicine. Buddhist monastic traditions and local councils play a key role in managing fragile alpine resources.
“The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve is a powerful example of how fragile ecosystems can be protected while supporting the communities that depend on them. This designation reflects India’s commitment to balancing conservation with sustainable development,” Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for South Asia, stated in the news release.
The announcement comes at a time when UNESCO is observing the 50th anniversary of its Man and the Biosphere programme, which promotes conservation, sustainable development and research across 785 sites worldwide.
Vulnerability to Climate Change
The Cold Deserts Biosphere Reserve is highly vulnerable to climate change with rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns affecting its fragile ecosystems.
According to the study titled “Farmer’s Perception of Climate Change and Factors Determining the Adaptation Strategies to Ensure Sustainable Agriculture in the Cold Desert Region of Himachal Himalayas, India” published in the 2025 journal, Sustainability, the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh is experiencing significant climate-induced changes.
