Climate Change policy and Nepalby Ashtha Lamsal | 30-01-2018 00:13 |
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 Climate change is a natural phenomenon. Anthropogenic climate change has been accelerated by the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), primarily from industrialization, deforestation and increased use of fossil fuels for transport. Scientific evidence, as cited by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), clearly indicates the wide scale of climate change. Accordingly, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to develop an international legal instrument to address this global problem. In accordance with this, the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee met several times and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in May 1992. This Convention was opened for signature at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 1992. Nepal signed this Convention on 12 June 1992 and became Party to it in 1994. The IPCC Fourth Assessment report clearly indicates that anthropogenic activities have accelerated the process of global climate change. Increasing GHG emissions has contributed to the increase in the atmospheric temperature, resulting in location-specific impacts. There have been changes in rainfall patterns (high, low, and intensive rainfall) and seasons due to climate change. These have direct and indirect impacts on water resources, agriculture, forests and biodiversity, health, infrastructure development, tourism, and livelihoods. Recognizing this, the international community is actively engaged in minimizing the current effects and likely future adverse impacts through effective implementation of the UNFCCC provisions. The impacts of climate change are vivid in least developed, landlocked, and mountainous countries. Nepal is also highly affected by climate change. It has been an urgent necessity to address the issue of climate change by formulating a policy and implementing relevant programmes to minimize the existing effects and likely impacts in different ecological regions from the Southern plains to the middle hills and to the high Himalayan mountains in the north, and their peoples, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Past Efforts As a Party to the Convention and being a Non-Annex I country, Nepal prepared the Initial National Communication in 2004 AD and shared with the Parties through the Convention Secretariat. Between 1996 and 2006, the then Ministry of Population and Environment was the designated focal point to implement the provisions of the UNFCCC. The then Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology was entrusted as the Designated National Authority (DNA) to promote the development of projects for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). A few public awareness raising programmes were organised during this period. Similarly, the 2003 Sustainable Development Agenda for Nepal and the 2001 Millennium Development Goals initiatives have also addressed the issue of climate change to a certain extent. Between 2007 and 2009, in the process of implementing the Convention, Nepal has: (i) prepared the action plan related to capacity building under the National Capacity Needs Self Assessment Project in order to implement the Rio Conventions (Climate Change, Desertification and Biological Diversity); (ii) issued CDM project-approval processes and procedures to benefit from the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol; (iii) started preparing the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA); (iv) started preparing the Second National Communication (SNC); and (v) implemented a project on strengthening capacity for managing climate change and the environment. Prior to the 15th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UNFCCC, held in Copenhagen in 2009, the Government of Nepal organized a Cabinet Meeting at Kalapatthar, near the base camp of the Mount Everest, and issued the 'Kalapatthar Declaration'. In addition, the South Asian Regional Climate Change Conference ?from Kathmandu to Copenhagen? was held and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by 14 donors and development partners to support Nepal on climate change activities. A status paper for COP 15 was also prepared. In July 2009, a 25-member Climate Change Council, including eight experts, was constituted under the Chairmanship of Right Honorable Prime Minister. Similarly, the Right Honorable Prime Minister, during COP 15, stressed the need for addressing the impact of climate change in the mountains, and that decisions and negotiations of the Convention must consider this issue very seriously. From this, climate change appeared in 2009 as national development agenda. In addition, the Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) and Three-Year Interim Plan (2008-2010) have also addressed the issue of environmental management and climate change. The Government of Nepal established the Climate Change Management Division in the Ministry of Environment (MoE) in the first quarter of 2010. The MoE prepared the National Adaptation Programme of Action, which was endorsed by the Government on 28 September 2010. Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs) are being prepared to implement adaptation programmes. In the process of implementing the statement made by Right Honorable Prime Minister during COP 15, the Mountain Alliance Initiative has been launched, international expert consultations were organized, and relevant reports were prepared. To coordinate climate change activities and implement collaborative programmes, a multi-stakeholder Climate Change Initiatives Coordination Committee (MCCICC) has been formed with representation from relevant ministries and institutions, international and national nongovernment organizations, academia, private sector, and donors. Similarly, with a policy to make the country?s economy and infrastructure climate-resilient, the National Planning Commission has initiated climate-resilient planning tools in the fiscal year 2010-11. It is evident that institutional, collaborative and programmatic activities have been expanded to address the issue of climate change in recent years. Efforts to mobilise funds to implement the programmes on climate change are under way. In addition, private sector and civil society continued to organize programmes and activities to raise public awareness and promote adaptation and use of renewable energy. Present Situation Nepal has experienced an average maximum annual temperature increase of 0.060C. This rate of increase is higher in the mountains than in other regions. Despite having only 0.4 percent of the total global population and being responsible for only 0.025 percent of total GHG emissions in the world, Nepal will be affected disproportionately, especially from increasing atmospheric temperature. Changes in the annual rainfall cycle, intense rainfall and longer droughts have been observed. Similarly, both days and nights are presently warmer. The number of days with 100 mm of heavy rainfall is increasing. The timing and duration of rainfall is changing. As glaciers recede from rapid snow and ice melting, glacier lakes are expanding. The adverse impacts of climate change have been noticed in agriculture and food security, water resources, forests and biodiversity, health, tourism and infrastructures. Climate-induced disasters and other effects have caused damages and losses to life, property, and livelihoods. Millions of Nepalese are estimated to be at risk to climate change. In the past 90 years, a glacier in the Sagarmatha region has receded 330 feet vertically. Because of glacier melting, new glacier lakes have formed. Although there will be an increase in river flows untill 2030, this is projected to decrease significantly by the end of this century. The problems arising due to climate change are increasing over the years. Nepal has to implement adaptation programmes even if it is not being responsible for climate change. Hence, Nepal has considered climate adaptation as a national agenda and has taken several initiatives for implementing different programmes for risk reduction in the recent years. |
