Climate Change : A hot topic

Climate change is a hot topic in Nepal now as studies show that many people in the country are facing hunger due to frequent droughts and melting glaciers are also threatening millions. The country heavily depends on tourism and agriculture to sustain its economy and climate change could seriously hurt these two sectors.“Changing weather patterns have dramatically affected crop production in Nepal, leaving farmers unable to properly feed themselves and pushing them into debt”, Oxfam, non-governmental organization working in Nepal, says in a report. The effect of climate change on Nepal’s agricultural sector warrants immediate attention. Late monsoon will decrease agriculture production, which is the backbone of the economy and more than 70 percent of the population depend on it for living. This will also have a huge impact on economic growth rate and per capita income.Climate change is also having serious impacts on Nepal’s unspoiled Himalayan mountain range and the surrounding communities. The Himalayas are the highest mountains of the earth. They are also one of our planet’s greatest fresh water reserves in the form of glacier ice or snow. As a result of warming caused by global climate change there is increased in glacier melt. And the rate at which Himalayan glaciers are retreating is a compelling evidence of global climate change.

Himalayas are also the quick indicator for climate change. Climate change also makes adverse effects on agriculture, bio-diversity, environment and fragile ecosystem. In the recent years floods and landslides during rainy seasons and longer drought during winter is prominent impact of climate change.Being the country of Himalayas, there should be more concern by local community of Nepal on climate change.Over emission of carbon creates greenhouse gas at the atmosphere which is the main root of global warming.Nepal, along with over 150 other countries, signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.Nepal ratified the convention on 2nd May in 1994, and this convention came into force on 31st July in 1994. Kyoto Protocol-1997 has been monumental event to initiate movement for relenting carbon emission. Kyoto Protocol made strategy to curb carbon emission through clean development mechanism, carbon trading and joint implementation. The countries like United States,India,China who are more responsible to cause for global warming refused to abide by the protocol. But now, the scenario has been improved since big countries have been pressured from international community.Nepal’s contribution to greenhouse gases is very small (0.025 percent of global) but the likely impacts of climate change on livelihoods are significant, particularly through water resources and agriculture.

Nepal is already facing a serious water catastrophe which is worsened by the global warming. With the changes in rainfall patterns and glaciers, it is likely that we will have serious floods and landslides during rainy seasons and longer drought during winter. There are predictions of increases in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. These all will adversely affect the agricultural and livestock patterns in Nepal and it will have increasingly difficult to have good harvest impacting on food insufficiency. Nepalis on the front line of Climate Change and its impact has being started to record in communities from the Himalayas to the plain land of terai. The Himalayan region is the water foundation ofAsia. It is the source of nine largest rivers in Asia and home to over one billion people. There are more than three thousand glaciers in Nepal. There are possibilities that three quarters of the glaciers would be of the history of Nepal by 2030 if the current climate change continues. UNEP scientists, working with experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) based in Kathmandu, have used satellites and on-the-ground studies to identify 44 potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal and Bhutan that are now so enlarged, they could burst their banks in as little as five years.The time has already come to think seriously on the global issue of climate change. Its better to make a single voice about climate change from South Asian regions to give pressure for developed countries to minimize carbon emission but it is almost delayed. For the less carbon emitter country like Nepal, the possibilities of obtaining benefit from a global business like carbon trading should be raised in the summit. The increase in greenery and decrease in over carbon emission definitely control the current vulnerably issue of global warming. Hence, it is vital for all national and international communities to join hand together to think and work seriously on the sector of climate change before it is too late.The bell of danger is ringing and its now time to wake up.