Editorial photo #13788041 Human Interest

World Environment Day 2026 Observed In Kashmir, India

A laborer collects garbage and plastic waste from the waters of Dal Lake on the occasion of World Environment Day in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on June 5, 2026. World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5 to raise awareness and encourage action for environmental protection, with the 2026 theme being ''Climate Action'' (NowForClimate). According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, approximately 74% of Kashmir's lakes and water bodies have either disappeared or become smaller. Of 697 water bodies studied, 315 have vanished and 203 have reduced in size, resulting in a loss of about 2,851 hectares since 1967. Climate change and encroachment are among the main causes. Glaciers in the Kashmir Himalayas have been shrinking due to rising temperatures, less snowfall, and changing weather patterns. Studies indicate that some glaciers, such as the Thajiwas Glacier in Sonamarg, have lost most of their ice, and the region may have lost roughly a quarter to a third of its glacier cover over the past 60 years. (Photo by Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto)