Introduction

There is a worldwide consensus that global warming is a real, rapidly advancing and widespread threat facing humanity this century.

Global warming is a globally distributed challenge and its consequences are widespread and alarming, with the nature and intensity of impacts varying over space and time. Global warming causes changes in climatic factors and affects ecosystems (ecological processes and functions) and biophysical systems. Many of these changes consequently yield negative consequences for human wellbeing.

Global Warming and Nepal

The picture of Nepal is as bleak or even worse than many other developing countries around the world, but it remains little understood.

Temperature and precipitation are two important climatic factors affected by climate change in general and global warming in particular. Although global average temperature has warmed and cooled many times in the past, it has been constantly rising since the mid twentieth century and is likely to rise constantly in the future mainly due to an increased concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere. Without GHGs, the earth?s surface temperature would be 60^oC cooler than it is today (Groom et al. 2007).

Effects of Global warming in Nepal:

Water

Water deficit, for four to five months outside the monsoon seasons. Nepal faces too much rainfall in monsoon some time while low rainfall in other time. Change in rainfall pattern is one effect. Drying of springs, groundwater depletion, reduction in river flows, floods etc. Decline in natural recharge of aquifers and over exploitation of groundwater. Within Narayani River Basin: Groundwater level dropped from 50 to 70 feet below ground level at few locations (NCVST 2009). Catastrophic Floods Of Trans- boundary Nature.

Glaciers

Rate of retreat of some glaciers is estimated to be as high as 20 m /year. Evidence in the Main Rongbuk glacier (in Mount Everest): lost 330 feet of vertical ice, at a rate of more than 4ft/yr, between 1921 and 2007. Snow and glacier melt might increase water in Nepal's river system - 5.7% till 2030, decrease by 28% by the end of this century.

Change in ecosystem

Impacts on Forest, rangeland , Wetland and Agro eco system are clearly visible. Many species are being extinct.

Human Health

Increase in prevalence of vector and water borne diseases. Mosquitoes are seen for last few years (about 4𔂦 years on average).  

Agriculture

Increase in temperature by 3^oC: predicted increase in annual irrigation water demand by 11%, keeping other parameters of water demand constant. Continuingly decreasing Food Security. Crop failure and loss of livestock: threaten livelihoods of mountain farmers who are already vulnerable and food-insecure.

New crops like mangoes, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables grow well, which was impossible few years ago due to cold in mountain. Some fruits bear less fruits with poor quality taste due to warm climate.

Livestock also suffer speedy breathing due to heat. Boke flower started flowering a little earlier, but used to flower during September/October (tika). Flowers (e.g. gladiolus) that were not grown before grow very well. A tree species ‐ Korlinga, used to blossom together with rhododendron (around the mid May (Jestha), but this year it flowered 15 days earlier (End of April (Baisakh) month). Fish species like Asla will be affected more than others because it grows well in cold water.

Natural Disasters

Occurrence of 21 GLOF events. Economic loss: nearly Rs. 1208 million per year

Biodiversity and Habitat Loss

59 mammal species, 279 bird species, 35 Herpeto fauna species, and 34 fish species, of which four species of mammals and seven species birds are believed to be extinct. Nepal?s deforestation rate is 1.7 percent which is well above the Asian average of one per cent and the global average of 1.3 per cent

Socio-economic conditions

Exploitation of mountain areas by diverse influences: agricultural systems, increasing reliance on mono-cropping, commercial logging and tourism enterprises. Changes in snow patterns: affect tourism industry, cause enormous economic losses. Declining domestic water supply, poor sanitation. Mountain Livelihoods, Women and Indigenous  groups. Loosing of traditional livelihoods in high mountains. 

Women work in few locations nearly 17 hours (mainly to fetch water). Since the livestock have to be moved to higher elevations for grazing: affecting lives of mountain women. Climate induced disasters in the mid-mountain and Churia-Tarai regions, could force more people, mostly male, to migrate in search of work leaving behind women, children and the elderly to look after the farm.

Source: Global Warming in Nepal: Challenges and Policy Imperatives