Ladakh Ecological Development and Environmental Group

The Ladakh Ecological Development and Environmental Group (LEDeG) is an environmental NGO based in Karzoo, Leh, Ladakh Union Territory in northern India. In 1986, it received the Right Livelihood Award "for preserving the traditional culture and values of Ladakh against the onslaught of tourism and development."
Goals
Established independently in 1983, its goal is to promote ecological and sustainable development of Ladakh, focusing mainly on the promotion of renewable energy, particularly solar energy.
The organization pays particular attention to environmental, economic and cultural issues affecting disadvantaged communities in Ladakh.
The official website has stated exactly what the organization is geared towards:
# To encourage awareness in the Ladakhi people of the need to consider the long-term effects of development,
# To encourage awareness in the Ladakhi people of the potential value of traditional culture in Ladakh’s development, Although LEDeG became independent in 1983, it is still closely connected to Local Futures/ISEC in achieving its goals of ecological development and sustainability in Ladakh.<ref name"Local Futures"/> LEDeG has made some considerable progress in Ladakh towards renewable energy and improving efficiency to benefit the local people.<ref name"LEDeG"/> In 2003-2007, they installed a solar photovoltaic power plant at Tangtse, with support from ICEF, MNRE and LAHDC.<ref name"LEDeG"/> The power plant supplies electricity to over 350 households, for five hours in a day.<ref name"LEDeG"/> In the years since its founding, LEDeG has become the most influential non-governmental organization in the Ladakh region.<ref name="Local Futures"/>
LEDeG is currently working on the European Union-funded Liveable Leh project that focuses on achieving Sustainable Development Goal-6 (Clean water and sanitation) and SDG-11 (Sustainable cities and communities) for urban Leh to make its town a resilient, inclusive and liveable Himalayan town.
Ladakh is at a crucial decision of choosing between sustainable tourism and saving Himalayan ecology, as the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened the highest motorable road in the world at 19,300 feet at UmlingLa Pass in eastern Ladakh, which will attract more tourists.

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