ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES IN NEPAL Views of a Science Prac<<oner
Dinesh Raj Bhuju Resources Himalaya Founda<on
______________________________________________________________________ Third High Mountain Workshop July 11-23, 2013 Huaraz, Peru
issue one CONTRASTING CONCERNS
Loosing Social Fabric
Sangita, 24
Originally from Dolakha Married to a boy from Chisapani, Ramechhap; Walks one hour to fetch water; Life is difficult; I was mis-‐ informed, but we are not commodities to be returned or exchanged….
Advancing Trees in the High Mountains
The species limit has advanced from 3673m asl in 1958 to 3841m asl in 2007 with a total of 168 m upslope shift at the average rate of 34.29 m per decade. Ref. M Suwal, D Bhuju, KB Shrestha 2010 ___________________________ Upward shifting by 26.1 m per decade; Temperature (Mar-Aug) showing negative relation. Ref. NP Gaire & DR Bhuju 2011
issue two FEEBLE REALIZATION
The Collapse of CivilizaHon Yucatan n Popula<on 30 million n Problems: i) Deforesta<on for agriculture & shelter ii) Climate Change (dry years: 125-‐250 and AD, 760 AD) iii) Poli<cal (1400 documents only in apprecia<on of the rulers) n
Posted by Administrator Tuesday, 09 February 2010 By: Surendra Gaudel
The Rising Nepal Over 300 households displaced due to acute water shortage By Our Correspondent Sindhuli, May 28 More than 300 households of Charcharedada, Belghari Village Development Committee of Sindhuli have been displaced owing to the acute water shortage. According to the locals, the water sources at the district were dried up making their lives more complicated by each passing day. Most of the locals are making small huts at the bank of the Junga Khola and Jate Khola for the easy access of water.
Syangja: Dalits living in Lamdanda village of Arjunchaupari VDC-6 12 km away from the district headquarters are reeling under acute shortage of drinking water. Dalits are migrating to other places due to the shortage of drinking water in their village. VDC secretary Tek Bahadur Gurung informed that 10 dalit households in the village have migrated to other places due to the water shortage. He added that the displaced families have been living as squatters in Pokhara, Bhairahawa and Khaireni of Tanahun. Other locals of the village with the majority of Gurung and Gharti communities are also compelled to walk for an hour to fetch a pail of water. They complain of political leaders not fulfilling their commitments made at the time of election to solve their water woes. They blamed that the Water Supply and Sanitation Division Office Syangja has not paid heed towards their repeated requests to manage drinking water in the village. Source: Nepal Samacharpatra, February 2, 2010
issue three NON-‐COMPLAINCE PRACTICE
NAPA, the much talked Document
Ramechhap district: 19 VDCs (out of 55) proclaimed as dry areas; no good rainfall for last over six years
issue four GAP OF UNDERSTANDING
Global warming People’s perception
ISSUES Contrasting Concerns
VIEWS SUGGESTED • Scientists to know people’s concerns
Feeble realization
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Include case studies in education
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Strengthen mechanism for policy implementation
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Non-‐compliance • practice •
Gap of understanding
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Communities to be aware of change
Maximize interface Organize common forum of discussion Combine theory with practice