STOCKHOLM — Military expansion on the Tibetan Plateau is accelerating environmental risks with consequences extending beyond regional borders, according to a new report by the Institute for Security and Development Policy.
The report, released August 18, warns that China’s buildup in Tibet threatens fragile ecosystems, destabilizes climate patterns, and endangers water security for millions downstream. The People’s Liberation Army currently fields an estimated 70,000–120,000 troops across the plateau, with 40,000–50,000 concentrated in the Tibet Military District. Bases and installations are positioned along border zones and transport routes, reflecting both defensive and power projection roles.
Satellite imagery and field studies reveal that military infrastructure has intensified environmental degradation. The plateau, home to 1.06 million sq. km of permafrost—the world’s largest high-altitude permafrost region—acts as a crucial carbon sink and hydrological regulator. Yet permafrost degradation is advancing, with ground temperatures rising 0.1–0.5°C annually over three decades. Military construction accelerates thawing, releasing trapped carbon and further disrupting ecosystems.
ISDP stresses that unchecked development risks cascading effects, from greenhouse gas emissions to destabilized water cycles feeding Asia’s rivers. “This degradation not only affects local ecosystems but contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through the release of previously sequestered carbon,” the report noted.
The institute calls for a rethinking of military planning in Tibet, urging ecological preservation in glacier margins and permafrost zones. Recommendations include excluding 35,000 sq. km of vulnerable terrain from intensive use, enforcing stricter environmental standards, mandating independent impact assessments, and adopting sustainable infrastructure solutions.
The report also underscores Tibet’s wider environmental significance, particularly its role in Asian water security. ISDP urges transparency and international cooperation, warning that militarization at high altitudes poses risks far beyond China’s borders. (IANS)
