His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche is widely recognized for his dedicated involvement in practical environmental initiatives over the past four decades, with a significant focus on Ladakh in the Western Himalayas. In 2022, he was named Green Ambassador of the Union Territory of Ladakh for his contributions to improving quality of life through organic farming practices and greening the barren and difficult terrain of Ladakh with the Go Green-Go Organic initiative established in 2013.
In 2015, he was named Mountain Partnership Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations to “inspire goodwill toward improving quality of life and sustaining healthy environments in the world’s mountain regions.” Chetsang Rinpoche’s concern for the environment didn’t emerge overnight; it took root during his youth in Tibet while working as forced labor on an agricultural farm during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. After escaping to India as a young adult, his commitment to environmental stewardship continued to grow. In exile from Tibet, he authored the book An Environmental Education (Tib: Khor.yug.slob.gso), published in 1997. It is notable that the book’s focus on public awareness came before the proliferation of social media platforms for the promotion of widespread environmental awareness. The publication of this book followed his training a few young monks in manure-composting and biogas production for home use. This journey from forced agricultural laborer to recognized advocate for environmental awareness remains impactful today, with tangible efforts toward addressing the climate crisis of the Himalayas.
From erratic weather patterns and melting glaciers, particularly in the Himalayas, Chetsang Rinpoche has observed firsthand myriad climate-related adversities. The Himalayas, often referred to as the Earth’s Third Pole, contain vast reserves of ice and snow, serving as the lifeblood for numerous rivers essential to the sustenance of more than a billion people across Asia. However, accelerated glacier retreat, altered precipitation patterns, and disrupted ecosystems threaten the very foundations of Himalayan livelihoods. Indigenous communities, reliant on traditional practices that are intricately linked to their environment, are increasingly at risk as climate-related hazards escalate. More than 35,000 species of flora and fauna face unprecedented challenges, further exacerbating the vulnerability of indigenous populations, resulting in urban-rural drain, crop losses, and the need for creative solutions.
Ladakh, in particular, has experienced alarming environmental consequences since 2010, including recurring cloudbursts, mudslides, floods, and water shortages. In response to these challenges, Chetsang Rinpoche launched Go Green-Go Organic, a non-profit organization and NGO. Based in Ladakh, this organization is dedicated to addressing the climate crisis, preserving the fragile high-altitude environment, and promoting traditional agricultural, earth-building, and pastoral practices passed down through generations.
The importance of embracing the Go Green-Go Organic initiative involves understanding the intricate interconnectedness of existing phenomena, including biodiversity and the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, which coexist interdependently. For example, trees have a crucial role in oxygen production and biodiversity support, at the same time their leaves enrich the soil and provide sustenance for microorganisms. Any disruption or imbalance in this delicate coexistence can lead to climate disasters, posing significant challenges for our world. This is known as “the butterfly effect”—a property of our incredibly complex, deeply interconnected world, such that one small occurrence can influence a much larger complex system.
Embracing Go Green-Go Organic practices includes a return to ancient and traditional farming methods. In today’s consumer-driven food industry, dominated by processed foods, serious health issues such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, and depression have become widespread. Prioritizing and adhering to Go Green-Go Organic principles is essential in our modern Himalayan lifestyle. This health crisis extends beyond humans, impacting large animals as well as microorganisms.
The essence of the initiative can be summarized in a quote by Chetsang Rinpoche: “The Go Green-Go Organic initiative is based on compassion toward living beings and non-living phenomena, deeply rooted in Nagarjuna’s concept of interdependence (Skt. Pratityasamutpada).”Emphasizing his simple message about conservation and preservation, he reiterated:“If you want to be happier, you must take care of the environment.” This holistic approach not only helps counteract the global-warming catastrophe but also fosters the wholesomeness of all sentient beings.
The Go Green-Go Organic initiative began in Ladakh in 2013. Practical implementation began in 2014 with the planting of sea buckthorn plants along the Silk Route in Shayok Village and tree plantations along the Indo-China border. Having visited Ladakh for more than 40 years since his escape from Tibet, Chetsang Rinpoche witnessed how resilient communities turned rugged, challenging terrain into fertile land using innovative irrigation techniques to make the barren desert bloom. Despite these achievements, the growing challenges brought by 21st-century global warming crises, interconnect climate change, consequent health problems, cultural heritage degradation, and daily impacts on the lifestyle of Ladakh’s people.
There is a delicate balance required to coexist harmoniously with nature. The Go Green-Go Organic initiative encompasses a wide range of activities, including tree-planting and the cultivation of fruit, sea buckthorn, and herbs. It includes the creation of artificial ice stupas and glaciers, earth-building projects, and the cross-breeding of domestic and wild yak (dong-yak). In Spiti Valley, there is horse breeding, and the promotion of organic farming. In the Ladakhi Aryan valley, there is now a non-alcoholic grape-beer project. Through these multifaceted endeavors, Go Green-Go Organic aims to address the pressing environmental and cultural challenges faced by Ladakh and, by extension, similar regions worldwide grappling with the impacts of global warming. By advocating for sustainable practices that mitigate environmental degradation, Go Green-Go Organic aims to preserve the rich tapestry of life woven throughout these majestic mountains, and act as a model to foster healthy communities worldwide.
Tree plantations have been established in the harsh climate of eastern Ladakh’s Changthang region, at an altitude of 4,350 meters above sea level. This initiative has positively impacted the inhabitants of the region, who previously had no plantations—unlike their central Ladakhi counterparts. Today, these inhabitants not only use the grown trees for fuel but also for house construction, including making windows and indoor furniture.
The plantations are meticulously planned according to factors such as altitude feasibility, water availability, and the specific needs of villages and communities. For example, medicinal herbs and willow and poplar trees are predominantly planted in high-altitude regions, while a variety of fruits and juniper are planted in low-lying areas of central Ladakh and along river banks.
Since 2014, the plantation efforts have progressed through 14 phases. The 15th phase, held in 2025 at Takmachik Village, marked Ladakh’s largest fruit orchard plantation drive. Since 2014, more than 1.9 million trees have been planted, of various native species, such as willow, poplar, juniper, sea buckthorn, apricot, apple, walnut, goji berry, cherry, and pear.
Among these, the establishment of a medicinal herb garden, named the High Altitude Herb Garden, stands out as a noteworthy initiative. Launched in 2023, at Phobrang Village in the Changthang region, this garden boasts more than 60 varieties of native medicinal herbs, setting a record for the highest-altitude (4,500 meters) herb garden in India.
Reflecting on the activities of the past decade, the initiative has yielded fruitful outcomes, manifesting in the form of threefold interconnected sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. Environmental sustainability efforts have significantly reduced carbon-dioxide emissions through tree plantation initiatives, artificial icefall glaciers, and ice stupas, thereby effectively addressing climate and water crises in mountainous regions, particularly during early spring, while fostering popular and newsworthy awareness.
In terms of social sustainability, community-based engagement has flourished, with active involvement from village leaders, social organizations, and monastic institutions. Every project begun by Go Green-Go Organic is turned over to local communities, which then have new modalities going forward, and a genuine sense of ownership, as well as benefit. From initial planning to execution, field visits, logistics, expenses, and practical agricultural responses, Go Green-Go Organic stands as a testament to successful organizational stewardship.
Chetsang Rinpoche believes that Buddhadharma practice lies not only in monasteries through meditation and rituals, but also by engaging with society to help people according to the needs of the 21st century.
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