The document discusses the significant impact of climate change on Nepal's environment, health, and agriculture, highlighting the rise in temperatures and changing precipitation patterns that exacerbate water-induced disasters and affect food security. It outlines the emergence of vector-borne diseases in new regions and the adverse health effects, including increased respiratory diseases and malnutrition. Furthermore, the retreat of glaciers, drying water springs, and increased agricultural uncertainty pose serious challenges to the livelihood and ecological balance in Nepal.

1. Climate change and its
impact on environment
Ramanand Pandit
1

2. Climate Change
2

3. Climate Change
United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) has defined climate change as a change of climate
that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity
that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and
that is in addition to natural climate variability observed over
comparable time periods.
3

4. Climate Change
• There is a worldwide consensus that global warming
is a real, rapidly advancing and widespread threat
facing humanity this century.
• Available data show that air temperature near the
earth surface rose by 0.74 °C from 1906 to 2005 and
scientists estimated it could be increased as much as
6.4 °C on average during the 21st century (IPCC
2007).
4

5. Climate Change
• Temperature observations in Nepal from 1977 to 1994 showed a
general warming trend and increased in average annual
temperature was 0.06 °C (Shrestha et. al., 1999).
• Climate change scenarios for Nepal showed considerable convergence
on continued warming, with country averaged mean temperature
increases of 1.2 °C and 3 °C projected by 2050 and 2100 (Shrestha et.
al,.1999).
5

6. Climate Change
Observations of regional and seasonal variation at different
part of the country resulted high rainfall regions and
seasons are recording increases in precipitation and
becoming wetter, whereas low rainfall regions and seasons
are recording decreases in precipitation and becoming drier
(GON 2004).
6

7. Climate Change
The changed intensity and amount of monsoon rains positively
correlate with the increase in water‐induced disasters like floods
and landslides (Ministry of Home, quoted in DWIDP 2006).
The water springs in the mid‐hills of Nepal have been drying up in
the recent past (Gurung & Bhandari, 2009).
7

8. Climate Change
• Climate change brings major new challenges to health
security, and will increase the costs and difficulties of
disease control.
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation decisions
implemented in other sectors will also have important
health consequences. The health sector will ultimately be
expected to bear responsibility for the resulting financial
and human costs.
8

9. Climate Change
• The most basic role of the health sector is in supporting health
systems in the face of the major global threat to health security that
is posed by climate change.
• This will need to include the capacity to respond both to gradual
changes, and to sudden shocks, ranging from more severe weather
events, vector and water borne disease outbreaks, to the eventual
interruption of freshwater and food supplies.
9

10. Climate Change
• Studies and reports have however made it clear that in addition to
the direct impacts of extreme event and disasters on the health and
safety of people, the shift in weather patterns would introduce
vector borne diseases, e.g. malaria and dengue fever to areas where
vectors were not previously present, create changes in water supply
and agriculture, and increase the occurrence of photochemical
smog.
• The changes in temperature and rainfall (patterns) will affect water
quantity and food production affecting the livelihood and food
security of communities.
10

11. Climate Change
• Global climate change threatens human health in way that are
numerous and strong.
• Many parts of the world will experience more extreme events such
as droughts, heat waves, altered exposure to infectious disease, and
more frequent natural disasters that will put added strain on an
already overstressed health system. It will make the Millennium
Development Goals that much harder to achieve.
11

12. Climate Change
The implications of climate change for human health can be grouped
into following six main categories:
1. Cardio-respiratory diseases
2. Injuries
3. Nutritional deficiencies /malnutrition
4. Diarrhoeal diseases
5. Vector-borne disease and
6. Psychological stress/diseases
12

13. Climate Change
The cross-sectional entomological survey conducted in 2006 after first
outbreak of dengue in Nepal identified the presence of Aedes aegypti
in 5 major urban areas of terai regions bordering with india
(Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bharatpur, Tulsipur and Nepalganj) and first
record of Aedes aegypti in Kathmandu in 2009, Previously no Aedes
aegypti was recorded in Nepal. The presence of Aedes aegypti in
these urban areas may be attributed by climate change.
13

14. Climate Change
• There is evidence that malaria vector (such as Anopheles fluviatilis)
which has traditionally not been found above the elevation of 1500
meters has now been seen in Kashmir, northern part of India and
Bhutan at heights of 2000 meters and more.
• Now, malaria is highly endemic in 13 districts and endemic in 52
districts of Nepal including few mountain districts.
14

15. Climate Change
• Though, there are not scientific literature published about the
shifting of malaria vector in higher altitude in Nepal, community
people and program managers have the experience of emerging
mosquitoes and vector borne diseases in higher altitudes in Nepal.
• One of the reasons for its shifting in higher altitudes and
geographical spread might be because of climate change.
15

16. Climate Change
• The increased temperatures due to climate change may create
conducive environment to mosquitoes breeding. More research is
certainly needed to distinguish the attribution of climate change.
• The global warming phenomenon can extend the geographic areas
capable of sustaining transmission of vector borne diseases.
16

17. Climate Change
The crops plantation and harvesting seasons has been changed due
to shifting monsoon season and the frequency of extreme events
such as floods and droughts has increased in recent years in Nepal
which may reduce the crop yields, aggravate the problems of hunger
and malnutrition, causes injuries as well as Psychological
stress/diseases in displaced population from disasters.
17

18. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Glacier:
• It is the much highlighted sector under impacts of climate change in
Nepal. Studies show that Nepal's glaciers are retreating faster than
the world average (Dyurgerov and Meier 2005) and the number and
size of glacier lakes are increasing along with increase in
temperature.
• The increase in number and size of glacier lakes in Nepal imposes
threats to Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) with potential to
damage
18

19. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Decrease of discharge of glacier fed rivers:
• The melting of glacier will result into increase of discharge of glacier
fed rivers initially and subsequently decrease after the snow and
glacier become smaller and smaller (Shrestha 2004).
• Koshi river in eastern Nepal showed a decreasing trend of discharge
during low flow season. An annual decreasing trend has also been
observed in the discharge of Karnali River in mid-western Nepal (DHM
Data).
• This will have serious impacts on hydropower plants, ground water
recharge, agriculture and drinking water together with disturbances
on local hydrological cycle and aquatic life.
19

20. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Drying up of water springs in mid-hills:
The water springs in mid-hills of Nepal are drying up in the recent
past. The Government of Nepal (GoN) publicly announced a
decrease of 45% in spring flows which are the sources of drinking
water for Kathmandu valley.
The intensive monsoon does not adequately recharge the
groundwater reservoirs as most of the precipitation drains out
through surface runoff despite increase in total precipitation.
On the other hand, the decrease in precipitation during the dry
season has an adverse impact on groundwater recharging.
20

21. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Too much or too less water:
The frequent floods and landslides due to intensive rainfall affect
the water quality.
The heavy floods of 26 - 27 August 2006 in mid-western Nepal were
followed by outbreaks of diseases including gastroenteritis, eye
infection, and pneumonia (SOHAM 2006).
Human health will be affected adversely in dry season because of
lack of water for sanitation as the dry season becomes drier where
there is already lack of sufficient water for sanitation (Erickson
2006).
21

22. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Agriculture:
It is the mainstay of over 80% of the Nepalese population, has been
affected by both warming and uncertainty of precipitation.
The increase in temperature has both negative and positive impacts
on agriculture. As the climate warms, farmers in higher altitudes (e.
g. Jumla district, 2700m asl) can harvest two crops a year (rice –
barley) comfortably.
There are also potentials in higher elevations to bring new lands
under cultivation. The warming in higher elevations has also created
conducive climates for increasing crop intensity.
22

23. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Agriculture:
However, thinning in snow deposition and retreat of snow line has
created problem of water scarcity in the region.
The prospects of bringing new land under cultivation by clearing
vegetations have also threatened the biodiversity conservation in
high altitude areas through habitat destruction, degradation, and
land fragmentation.
Important habitats will be displaced by crop lands. The relationship
between crop yield and climate change has yet to be investigated.
23

24. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Hazards:
Extreme precipitation events account for increase in hazards. The
intensity and amount of monsoon rains positively correlates with
increase in water-induced hazards like floods and landslides.
Intensive rainfall was the main cause of landslides in Laprak (Gorkha
district) in 1999 and Nepane (Kaski district) in 2006.
A heavy downpour of rain on 26 – 27 August 2006 exceeding 300
mm within 24 hours was responsible for extensive flooding in
Nepalganj area destroying lives and properties and costing millions
of rupees for relief and rescue activities (SOHAM 2006).
24

25. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Biodiversity:
However, local people have observed some anomalies in plants
growth patterns such as sprouting and onset of flowers. Emerging of
new pine forests on de-glaciated and glacial retreated areas.
It is likely that the biodiversity in high altitude areas will be much
affected by climate change as the soil productivity is poor to support
plant growth and there is a limit for space for further upward
shifting.
Such vertical shifting of ecological zones will affect both flora and
fauna of high altitude through habitat destruction.
25

26. Impacts of Climate Change in Nepal
Health:
• The First Communication Report of Nepal to IPCC showed increasing
evidence of Malaria, Kalajar and Japanese Encephalitis (HMG/N
2004).
• In several locations of high altitudes, local people have experienced
an increasing trend of insects which were not there in the past, and
many of them are disease vectors like flies and mosquitoes.
26