SHARAD K SHRESTHA
Nepal’s contribution to global warming is insignificant. The threat of climate change to the nation’s development efforts and to its economy, however, is serious. Increased incidence of droughts and delays in the monsoon rains has resulted in decline in food production over the past few years. Floods caused by ever-increasing events of intense rainfall have also decreased agricultural harvests. Nepal is already facing challenges when it comes to dealing with disasters that cause damage worth billions of rupees to infrastructure and property.
Extreme rainfall events, temperature fluctuation, irreversible glacial melt, unpredictable precipitation patterns, flash floods in the hills and downstream flooding, degraded ecosystem services and dwindling agricultural outputs will affect food security, livelihoods, power generation, domestic income sources and the state of physical infrastructure. Development organisations must also address the felt and anticipated threats of climate change by adopting a resilient-planning framework.
In Nepal, key natural resources are land, water and forests. The degradation of these resources intensifies disasters such as landslides, floods and soil erosion which have lasting consequences.
There is a difficulty in managing natural resources due to a contradiction between environmentalists and agriculturists.
Environmentalists want more forest covers to maintain biodiversity and ecology while agriculturists need more land to produce enough food for the growing population. Water managers fear that unless Nepal reduces its water footprint, it will be extremely difficult for it to meet the water demands of the growing economy and to meet the needs of the food production system so that the food supply can be maintained.
Nepal has accorded high priority to agricultural development since its very first development plan adopted in 1956. The vagaries of monsoon rain affect food production in the Tarai, often making the national food balance figure negative. Food adequacy at the national level therefore, does not guarantee food security in the hills and mountains.
Nepal’s flora and fauna are diverse at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels.
The government’s commitment to protecting biological resources and ecosystems for the benefits of the people and its honouring of its obligations under the convention on biological diversity led to the formulation of a biodiversity strategy. This strategy helps to consolidate successful past efforts and to draw a future course of action to reduce climatic threats.
Source:thehimalayantimes
