Climate Change: A Focus of Sagarmatha Dialogue

Despite being a small nation, Nepal has exceptionally differing climatic conditions, going from tropical in the south to snow-capped in the north. The nation’s three unmistakable topographies the snow secured mountains, the mid slopes, and the terai (fields) – encapsulates this decent variety. The sensational variety in height over a short separation has brought about articulated orographic impacts, impacts which seriously limit our capacity to clarify precipitation elements in Nepal. The effects of climate change might be extreme at high elevations and in regions with complex topography, as is the case in Nepal’s mid-hills. The temperatures are increasing in Nepal and the rainfall is becoming more variable because of climate change. Glacier melting and changes in the amount and timing of precipitation have profound impacts on the ways we organize our food systems and agriculture, on the management of critical infrastructures, including hydropower, and the availability of water for basic human needs. Changes in the mountains have sweeping impacts over the planet including coastal regions, small island states, seas, and oceans.

Climate Change- As Existential Global Issue

Climate change is like building a movement against ourselves—as if the abolition movement depended on slave owners (McKibben, 2012). Climate change is responsible for an extreme, yet often erratic, changes in seasonal water accessibility, resulting in drought conditions amid the dry season and increased flooding amid monsoon. The rise in the global temperature, warming oceans, shrinking of ice sheets, glacier retreat, decreased snow cover in the northern hemisphere, rising of sea level, declining arctic sea ice, extreme events such as intense rainfall and ocean acidification are some of the shreds of evidence of climate change as a global issue.

The global climate is anticipated to keep on changing over this century and beyond. The magnitude of climate change past the following scarcely any decades relies fundamentally upon the amount of heat-trapping gases emitted comprehensively, and how sensitive the Earth’s atmosphere is to those emissions. The temperature will continue to rise and will not be, uniform or smooth across the country or over time.

Climate Change: The Major Crisis for Nepal

In the case of Nepal, from droughts in Upper Mustang to floods in the southern plains, there are indications all around that the country is already dealing with adversities created by climate change. The increasing number of floods, landslides, and droughts account for approximately 100 deaths annually with downright economic losses and 3.7 million people are currently food insecure (WFP, 2009).

Nepal is considered as one of the top ten countries well on the way to be affected by global climate change (WFP, 2009) but is one of the least contributors to the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), emits only 0.027% of the global share (INDC, 2016). Nepal is one of the least developed countries of having a GDP of minor Rs 870.25 billion with 18.7% of the total population living under the poverty line. Nepal’s economy is profoundly reliant upon the agricultural sector contributes about 37.1% of the country’s GDP, and supports more than 60.4% of the country’s population (Ministry of Finance, 2019/2020). Besides, Nepal ranks 147 on the Human Development Index (UNDP, 2018). Every one of these realities makes Nepal entirely helpless against environmental change.

Similarly, Nepal is facing accelerated warming at high altitudes which made the glacial lakes in high risk of outburst and glacial lake outburst floods. Nepal is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Nepal is ranked fourth, eleventh, and thirtieth in terms of vulnerability to climate change, earthquake, and flood risks respectively. The annual temperature of Nepal is increasing at a rate of 0.06 degrees Celsius. And as the climate is getting warmer, glaciers are melting and forming glacial lakes with water occasionally rising to threatening levels. Glacial melts also affect the drinking water supply, agriculture, biodiversity, and livelihood.

Likewise, Hindu Kush Himalayas is one of the greatest mountain systems in the world and also the largest reservoir for freshwater. More than 19 billion people rely upon the HKH for livelihood. According to the Hindu Kush Himalayas assessment report, “An unnatural climate change is restricted to 1.5˚C, warming will probably be in any event 0.3˚C higher in the HKH, and any event 0.7˚C higher in the northwest Himalaya.”

Climate Change: A Natural Change

Earth’s climate has changed throughout history. Many of the climate change such as seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, and marked the beginning of the modern climate era and human civilization with the abrupt end of the last ice age. Because of the climate change, suitable temperature and the environment was formed in the Earth for the living organisms.

It is a natural process because of which adaptation capability of the species has increased and we can find the diversification in the agricultural products. A low land crop is produced at high altitudes. Likewise, the apple only found in Mustang can now be grown in the hilly area of Nepal. Low land animals can now adapt to high altitudes. This has helped in the economic growth of the nation as well as the individual.

Sixth mass extinction

Although climate change has helped in the increase of the adaptation capacity, many species are on the verge of extinction. In the current situation, the climate is changing so rapidly that species are not being able to adapt to the environment. Species are becoming extinct 100 times faster. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Birdlife International to examine populations of vertebrate animals considered to be on the brink of extinction, having lost most of their geographic range, and now consisting of fewer than 1,000 living individuals worldwide (Earth’s Sixth Mass Extinction Isn’t Just Happening, It’s Accelerating, 2020).  The human actions have had an ever greater impact on other species. The present per year rate of extinction is between 100 and 100,000 species. We could lose more than half of Earth’s remaining species in 100 years.

Sagarmatha Dialogue: An Opportunity

Through Sagarmatha Dialogue, vulnerable countries like Nepal and Maldives can have a single voice to raise the problems faced because of climate change. This platform can also be used to establish the power of least developed countries. It is the best multilateral forum where we can make the world aware of the impact of climate change in a mountainous country like Nepal. We can also raise funds for the conservation of the environment. Being an economically weak country, we can ask for technical assistance in the agricultural field to cope with climate change. We can use this forum for the worldwide collaboration of environmental conservation and also the proper implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. Sagarmatha Dialogue helps in strengthening the bilateral and multilateral relations among the countries.

In conclusion, there is a need for transformational solutions that draw on new technologies as well as traditional knowledge and nature-based practices. So, it is not only a crisis but also an opportunity to rethink a new model of ecology friendly development like Sustainable Development.  We can give the message to the world that Environment conservation cannot be done with a single effort; it needs the support of everyone as climate change is the greatest threat to human existence.

— SASEENA PARAJULI

Read This: Green Economy And Environmental Diplomacy