Locals of Pathivara were amazed to see snowfall during the month of November this year. Seen in view of the previous years, the fall occurred early this year. Similarly, rainfall during the month of October in Kathmandu was another unusual incident. Despite the changes in the rainfall pattern, there are rare records of rainfall during this month. Both of these incidents refer to the same environmental issue: climate Change.

According to a survey of 2010 by Maplecroft - a British global risk advisory firm, among 170 nations Nepal ranks fourth in the Climate Change Vulnerability Index. The index reveals South-Asia as worlds’ most climate-vulnerable region and also warns its fastest growing population is badly exposed to flood, drought, storms and sea level rise. Bangladesh and India are in the first and second place in the list, whereas Afghanistan and Pakistan rank eighth and sixteenth respectively. All five of these countries have been declared as being at extreme risk from climate change over the next 30 years.

Available data reflect that average temperature rise in Nepal was approximately 0.06°C in between 1997 to 2000. Recent projections suggest further temperature increase of 0.5°C -2°C by 2030 which is a much faster rate than expected globally. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates present carbon level to be 390ppm globally. This level is similar in Nepal as well. Rapid deforestation in various parts of the country is a well-known cause for this rise.

Nepal has already confronted different consequences of climate change. Extreme environmental catastrophes such as flood, erosion and drought have struck many parts of the country. Himalayan region is a major victim of this problem. Widespread glacial melting is rapidly increasing and is resulting in significant changes in the hydrological cycle and the increased vulnerability to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF). Lake Imja Tsho is a remarkable example of glacial melting. This glacial lake was nonexistent in 1960 but now it covers more than one square km. Imja glacier has melted about 75metre between 2001 and 2006. A study conducted by ICIMOD and UNEP reported 27 lakes as potentially dangerous lakes in Nepal. In ten of these lakes, GLOF events have occurred in the past few years and some are regenerating after the GLOF events. Contrary to this, the drought during winter of 2008 and 2009 is one of the worst consequences of climate change in Nepal.

Being an agricultural country Nepal is going through problems in farming and cropping. Rise in temperature and carbon-dioxide is helpful to some extent as it increases agricultural production by enhancing the photosynthesis process. But, on the other hand, this has greater adverse effects. Decrease in grain filling period due to increase in respiration process, fertilizer use efficiencies, shift in agricultural zone, introduction of new exotic animals, increase in soil erosion, evapo-transpiration and malnutrition in the places overflowing with food due to reducing protein and decrease in mineral nutrients content in different crops are its negative effects. These make further impact on the agriculture by decreasing the productivity of land in some region and increasing in other regions. These problems have already affected huge areas of fertile lands of terai region which is expected to cause different health as well as environmental hazards in many places.

Rainfall patterns have shown significant changes in the recent decades. Monsoon rains which previously occurred in the month of July, now occur in the month of September. Winter season has shortened and the winter cold has shifted few months further. Variable rainfall events in terai region have hugely reduced the crop production as a result of drought, floods and landslides. Moreover, shifting of climatic regions have led to extinction of the natural vegetation in many places. Darchula district in far western hills which is famous for Yarsa Gumba, the energy giving medicinal herb, faced unusual snowfall affecting the presence of this herbal. Similarly, maize, chilly, tomato and cucumber are now being adopted in Mustang district of the country. Although this is good news for the local people, this is a consequence of increase in the temperature which ultimately damages the snow-capped mountains which are the major tourist attractions.

Poor and marginalized population, which is about half of the population of the country, are most vulnerable to climate change as they are least capable of coping with the consequences. Illiteracy and lack of awareness have strengthened the impacts. Increasing temperature has also increased the risk of vector-borne diseases such as Malaria, Kalazar and Japanese Encephalitis and other water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Frequent diarrhea outbreak in Kalikot and other places in the western part of the country is an evidence of climate change hazard.