Climate Change: Why Nepal should take a lead

According to the Global Parliament of Mayors, locals of Dhye village in Upper Mustang have migrated in search of better water resources, similar cases of water scarcity are observed in Kavrepalanchowk and Khotan districts of Nepal. This has also contributed largely to foreign migration from Nepal to countries in the middle east and beyond in search of better opportunities. The farmers of Nepal are facing severe crop failures, leading them to neighbouring countries in search of financial providence. The displacement of local communities is seen in Sindhupalchowk due to repeated floods and loss of life and property in the area. Like Nepal, countries like Pakistan who also have mountainous terrain have witnessed climate induced migration as extreme weathers make it unbearable for people to live in a town/ village which was previously suitable for habitation.

Last November, Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba shared his vision at the World Leaders Summit, to decarbonize Nepal and reach net zero emission by the year 2045. “With abundant water, forest and biodiversity resources, Nepal can be a leader in sharing clean, green and nature-based climate solutions in the region,” he said in his address to the summit. He also mentioned the US$ 6 billion loss Nepal had to bear during the past forty years due to natural disasters.

Higher carbon footprints result in greater damage to the natural environment of the earth. It has been and is the case that regions with high industrial activities, needing more electricity and automobiles demand large amounts of fossil fuels to be burnt, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions. Considering that, industrial nations : China , United States, India and Russia are the greatest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Carbon footprints are a measure of the total greenhouse gas emissions composed of carbon dioxide and methane released. It can be measured from an individual level or the collective state level. Although greenhouse gases are significant to the maintenance of Earth’s suitable temperature there is a massive over production of it in the present scenario.

The 2017 report of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has hinted that the temperature is expected to continuously increase throughout the 21st century in Nepal. Currently, the Government of Nepal, has initiated the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to develop strategies to combat climate change.