India, Oct. 11 -- Late September brought Ladakh back in the news. There were violent protests in Leh that led to a number of unfortunate deaths. Curfews were put in place, and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested under the National Security Act. Protests have since extended to Delhi, Chandigarh, and Dehradun, but the national awareness of the core issue of climate change remains low.

Why doesn't a cry from the roof of the world resonate down to the plains? Ladakh is not warning about an administrative issue or a border grievance. It's an existential problem that will eventually affect every family in India.

The Roof of the World Is Cracking

The Himalayas, often termed "India's northern sentinel", are a wall of ice and stone tha...