Climate Change In Nepal Research Articles

Issues of Climate Change in Nepal

This study discusses the multifaceted impacts of climate change on Nepal's environment, economy, and society. It highlights the country's vulnerability to climate-related challenges such as erratic weather patterns, glacial melting, and the resulting socio-economic consequences for its population. The document also outlines Nepal's efforts to address these challenges through policy frameworks like the National Climate Change Policy and the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA). Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of international cooperation, community-based adaptation initiatives, and the promotion of renewable energy as key strategies to build resilienceand mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in Nepal. The paper serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding the complexities of climate change in Nepal and the various measures being implemented to safeguard the country's future. It provides valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners involved in climate action, emphasizing the need for a coordinated and multi-faceted approach to address the evolving impacts of climate change.

A Comparative Analysis of Climate Change Framing in Nepali Newspapers

Nepal, because of its specific topographical and geographical characteristics, is at the epicenter of vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. This study investigates the way three Nepali newspapers, namely Kantipur, Nagarik, and Nayapatrika Daily framed climate change from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The research provides a comprehensive approach to investigating the framing ways used by these newspapers, identifying and evaluating five prominent frames: environmental impact, humanitarian, policy, and governance, economic, and global justice. Through rigorous examination of chosen reports and articles from the required timeframe, the study indicates a noticeable trend in framing preferences among these three publications. Significantly, the results highlight the centrality of the Policy and Governance Frame as the main focus, which comprises more than half of the total coverage, then following the Environmental Impact Frame. The research presented here provides vital insight into each of the methods applied by media sources to convey climate change in Nepal. The study highlights the significance of using a diverse framing approach for addressing the many facets of this complicated issue, acknowledging the nation's varied climate-related challenges. This research not only contributes to the scholarly knowledge regarding climate change communication but also has practical implications for professionals in the media, policymakers, and the general public. The need for a more varied and diverse framing approach is emphasized, showing the potential for more successful communication tactics that are tailored to Nepal's particular context and challenges in the face of climate change.

The Threats of Climate Change in Nepal: Natural Catastrophes and Global Conflict Frontiers

Nepal, nestled amidst the majestic Himalayas, is uniquely positioned with its delicate geological makeup. This renders it vulnerable to escalating environmental threats, primarily driven by global climate change-induced adversities. These climatic adversities not only disrupt the ecological balance but also create a space for multiple conflict frontiers. The primary objective of this research is to delve into the multifaceted conflicts that include competition for scarce resources, decision-making process, and vested interest of foreign powers that may arise from the climatic challenges especially flash floods, glacier lake outbursts, droughts, landslides, and other catastrophic disasters. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of climatic-induced disaster events and their significant role in the origin of conflicts. Employing a qualitative research design using the tool of comparative analysis, the study investigates the conflicts triggered by these disasters of the past two decades. The study will draw insightful parallels between Nepal's unique situation and other global regions. I will spotlight regions like South Sudan, Rwanda, Syria, and, South and Southeast Asia where climate-induced factors, such as acute water and food shortages, have ignited community tensions and other resource-based conflicts in the historical review and analysis. Within Nepal's borders, I will undertake a detailed historical analysis of the specific cases due to climate change. The study aims to bridge the knowledge gap between climate change and conflict dynamics, offering actionable insights for holistic resource management, disaster risk mitigation, and proactive conflict prevention.

Breaking the silence: the complex nexus of gender and climate change in Nepal

Nepal recognizes climate change as a significant threat to its economy, communities, and environment. Climate variability is one of the major causes of food insecurity, poverty, and inequality in the country. Marginalized and vulnerable communities, particularly women, suffer the most severe consequences of climate change. In this paper, we qualitatively analyze primary and secondary data to understand how gender considerations are integrated into agriculture and climate change policies. It aims to identify gaps in integrating gender considerations into policies and practices. Climate change’s challenges on agriculture and food security have been identified in most agricultural policies; however, those policies remain quiet on the gender-specific impacts of climate change. Representation mandates are not sufficiently linked with officials’ overall performance, resulting in limited representation of women in budget formulation, project and program design, planning, and resource and opportunity allocation. As a way forward, our analysis suggests addressing the gaps at the policy and institutional levels. For instance, to effectively address climate change, policies should be developed with a gender-inclusive approach, along with budgetary allocations that consider the gender-specific impact of climate change. Promoting gender equality in climate-resilient agriculture in Nepal requires measures such as empowering women’s networks, establishing linkages with extension services that focus on women-led cooperatives, and investing in affordable and climate-smart tools and machinery that are women-friendly. The study offers important insights for policymakers to create gender-inclusive policies. It highlights the opportunity to coordinate inter-agency responses among stakeholders and sustain ongoing national policy dialogues to identify actions required to meet the nationally determined contributions’ commitments.

Responses of insectivorous bats to climate change in Nepal

AbstractThe order Chiroptera includes 55 species in Nepal, which have been recorded within a wide range of elevation between 64 and 4154 m above sea level. Assessing the potential distribution ranges in present climatic scenarios and forecasting changes in distribution ranges in future climate have been adopted to predict likely adverse impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems. However, very few studies have assessed the impact of climate change on bats globally and locally. We assessed the current potential distribution ranges of six representative species of bats occurring in Nepal using species distribution models (SDMs) and predicted their responses in future climatic scenarios. The occurrences of the representative species of bats were projected with six to eight environmental variables under the different climatic scenarios; present, and socioeconomic pathways 4.5 and 8.5 for the years of 2050 and 2070 deploying maximum entropy modeling. We used Arc GIS 10.7.1 to calculate the distribution range, area, and elevation for the bat species. Among 18 uncorrelated bioclimatic variables eight variables significantly contributed to the SDMs. Among the six species, two showed a wider range of current distribution. Under the future climatic scenarios, distribution ranges and latitudinal and elevation shifting were found to be species specific. Future distribution ranges for two species are predicted to be constricted, but no significant changes are predicted for the others. Major parts of the current and future distribution ranges of the bat species lie outside the current protected areas of the country. Landscape level and species‐specific conservation policies are necessary for bat conservation, and future surveys of bats should be targeted in western Nepal.

Ecological dynamics, ethnobotanical significance, and habitat projections for Arisaema costatum (Wall.) Mart. in response to climate change in Nepal

The unique landscape of Nepal supports diverse ecological niches that are home to valuable plants, benefiting various ethnic groups. Wild edible plants have been essential for the livelihoods of indigenous peoples and local communities due to their affordability, ease of harvest, and renewable nature. However, climate change is altering the habitat, distribution, ecology, and phenology of plant species in the Himalayas. One such important species in Nepal is Arisaema costatum, which has multiple indigenous uses. Unfortunately, climate change, deforestation and land use changes have led to continuous changes in the distribution and habitats of A. costatum. We conducted field research involving 280 quadrats (2 ×2 m) and 210 interviews. By utilizing MaxEnt modeling and considering different climate change scenarios (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 4.5 and 8.5) as well as climatic predictors and species localities, we analyzed 196 geospatial data points. This allowed us to evaluate the present suitable environment and predict potential habitats in 2050 and 2070. Our findings revealed that A. costatum is used as a vegetable by indigenous and local communities in the Nepal Himalayas. Traditional fermentation and detoxification techniques are employed for its preparation. The plant plays a vital role in household food and nutrition, income generation, and health security. Elevation, annual mean temperature (BIO-1), and precipitation during the warmest and coldest quarters (BIO-18 and BIO-19) were identified as the most influential factors for projecting the future distribution of A. costatum in the Nepal Himalayas. Approximately 14% (21121.75 km2) of Nepal's land was found to be suitable habitat for this species, with the Gandaki, Bagmati, and Koshi provinces in the temperate regions particularly well-suited compared to other provinces. Highly suitable areas are expected to gradually decrease from 0.14% in 2050 and 1.65% in 2070. Thus, the anticipated loss of A. costatum habitats and the increasing temperatures due to climate change in the Nepal Himalayas, urgent integrated research and development programs are necessary to address this issue.

Payment or Incentive: Public Perception on Payment for Ecosystem Services at the Time of Climate Change in Nepal

Payment or Incentive: Public Perception on Payment for Ecosystem Services at the Time of Climate Change in Nepal

Impacts of Climate Change on Temperature and Precipitation in Nepal: Projections and Bias Correction

Climate change is likely to have a significant impact on Nepal, affecting its infrastructure, agriculture, and water resources. This study created day-to-day bias-corrected data of precipitation (ppt), maximum temperature (tmax) and minimum temperature (tmin) at 0.25° spatial resolution for Nepal using 7 CMIP6-GCMs under two shared socioeconomic pathways, SSP245 and SSP585. The bias-corrected datasets were produced using an empirical robust quantile mapping method for ppt and quantile mapping with linear transformation function method for tmax and tmin. The bias-corrected dataset was evaluated by comparing it against observed data for the mean values of ppt, tmax and tmin. Our bias-corrected projections reveal a warming of 4-6°C and an increase in ppt of 40-60% by the end of the 21st century. These changes will have a significant impact on Nepal's climate, environment, and people. The bias-corrected projections can be used to assess the impact of climate change in Nepal and to develop adaptation strategies.

Climate change and infectious disease surveillance in Nepal: qualitative study exploring social, cultural, political and institutional factors influencing disease surveillance.

To explore the impacts of contextual issues encompassing social, cultural, political and institutional elements, on the operation of public health surveillance systems in Nepal concerning the monitoring of infectious diseases in the face of a changing climate. Semi-structured interviews (n=16) were conducted amongst key informants from the Department of Health Services, Health Information Management System, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, World Health Organization, and experts working on infectious disease and climate change in Nepal, and data were analysed using thematic analysis technique. Analysis explicates how climate change is constructed as a contingent risk for infectious diseases transmission and public health systems, and treated less seriously than other 'salient' public health risks, having implications for how resources are allocated. Further, analysis suggests a weak alliance among different stakeholders, particularly policy makers and evidence generators, resulting in the continuation of traditional practices of infectious diseases surveillance without consideration of the impacts of climate change. We argue that along with strengthening systemic issues (epidemiological capacity, data quality and inter-sectoral collaboration), it is necessary to build a stronger political commitment to urgently address the influence of climate change as a present and exponential risk factor in the spread of infectious disease in Nepal.

Community forestry dominates the recent land greening amid climate change in Nepal

The Himalaya Plateau including Nepal is ‘greening up’ that has important implications to ecosystem services such as water supply, carbon sequestration, and local livelihoods. Understanding the combined causes behind greening is critical for effective policy makings in forest management and climate change adaptation towards achieving sustainable development goals. This national scale study comprehensively examined the natural and anthropogenic drivers of the long-term trend of vegetation dynamics across Nepal by correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. We integrated multiple sources of data including global satellite-based leaf area index (LAI), climate data, landcover data, and forest land management information. Our study reveals a remarkable annual mean LAI increase of 22% (0.009 m2 m−2 yr−1) (p < 0.05) from 1982 to 2020, with an acceleration in the rate of increase to 0.016 m2 m−2 yr−1 (p < 0.05) after 2004. The community forestry (CF) program, forest area changes, and soil moisture availability accounted for 40%, 12%, and 10% of LAI temporal variability, respectively. Our analysis found soil moisture and forest area changes to be the primary drivers of the greening trend before 2004, while CF and forest expansion were the dominant factors thereafter. Additionally, interannual vegetation dynamics were significantly influenced by winter precipitation, incoming solar radiation, and pre-monsoon soil moisture. The projections based on four Earth System Models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 suggest that Nepal’s greening trend is expected to continue at a rate of 0.009 m2 m−2 yr−1 (p < 0.05) throughout the 21st century. We conclude that forest management program (CF) amid climate change that alters water and energy conditions have enhanced land greening, posing both opportunities and risks to ecosystem services in Nepal. This study provides much needed national-level information for developing forest management policies and designing Nature-based Solutions to respond to climate change and increasing demands for ecosystem services in Nepal.

Population growth and Rural Development in the interface of Climate Change in Nepal: A review

The objective of this paper is to analyze the relationship between population change and rural development in connection with climate change in Nepal. Climate change has two directional relationship with climate change. Firstly, population growth and rural development act as anthropogenic factors for climate change. On the other hand, climate change and extremities impact population pyramid and damages the rural infrastructures. It is based on secondary data and published and unpublished literatures. The study reveals that there is a strong relationship between climate change, population change and rural development. Many rural people are migrated into the urban areas and young people are trying to shift in abroad for employment where climatic factors are increasingly push factors. Lack of skill oriented education entrepreneurship programs, agricultural extension program people are suffering from different problems. Self help program is needed into the rural areas. So government should rethink to implement the rural development program in Nepal. Poverty become the main sensitive issue of rural areas. Though the government has given emphasis on the rural development of Nepal, so the policy makers should do the research about the successful rural development program in Nepal.

Impact of Variation in Monsoonal Rainfall and Temperature on Paddy Production and its Adaptive Strategies: A Case Study from Bhaktapur District of Nepal

This study was carried out to assess the impact of climate change on paddy yield in Bhaktapur, Nepal. The study compared the summer rainfall variability, summer temperature variability, and farmers' perception of rainfall and temperature changes over a 30-year period. A household survey of 420 houses was conducted to collect information supplemented by meteorological data from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM). Following this, significant increases and decreases in temperature and rainfall were observed on annual and seasonal time scales, respectively. The obtained result shows the annual precipitation trend of the study area is increasing at a rate of 0.24 mm yr-1. The linear trend analysis of the pre-monsoon indicates that the rainfall is increasing at the rate of 0.18 mm yr-1 and the monsoon shows the rainfall is increasing at the rate of 0.57 mm yr-1, whereas the post-monsoon rainfall is decreasing at the rate of 0.02 mm yr-1. The biggest changes in precipitation were observed during the monsoon season. The monsoon precipitation trend in the time series was found to be increasing at a rate of 0.57 mm yr-1. This variation in monsoon rainfall is clearly unfavorable for the agriculture system of the study area. When these recent changes in the temperature and precipitation were compared over 30-year time series data from the weather station, it is apparent that the climate of the study area exhibits fluctuation over time, many of the changes being very erratic. As per the data, all kinds of temperatures are being increased annually. According to the linear trend shown below, average annual temperature, minimum temperature, and maximum temperature are increasing at rates of 0.038°C yr-1, 0.054°C yr-1, and 0.021°C yr-1, respectively. The results show that future climate change in Nepal, including higher temperatures and erratic rainfall, might have a negative impact on paddy productivity and yield in the study area.

Estimation of Land Use Based Ecosystem Service Values and Its Response to Climate Change in Nepal

Estimation of Land Use Based Ecosystem Service Values and Its Response to Climate Change in Nepal

Corrigendum: Enhancing the resilience of food production systems for food and nutritional security under climate change in Nepal

CORRECTION article Front. Sustain. Food Syst., 21 November 2022Sec. Land, Livelihoods and Food Security https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.1067707

Enhancing the resilience of food production systems for food and nutritional security under climate change in Nepal

BackgroundClimate change in Nepal has posed a considerable challenge to agricultural productivity and has threatened food and nutritional security at multiple levels. This study aims to assess the impacts of climate change on national food production and food and nutritional security as well as document issue-based prioritized adaptation options for a resilient food production system.MethodsThis study considers temperature, precipitation, and their anomalies as the key factors affecting food production in Nepal. Nationwide precipitation trends along with their association with the annual production of major cereal crops in Nepal were assessed using data from the last three decades (1990–2018). The annual productions of the major cereal crops were summed and normalized to calculate production index scores in the districts. Scores were plotted and visualized into maps using the R programming. In three ecological regions, the distribution of flood and extreme rainfall events and cases of malnutrition from 2005 to 2018 were plotted. The effects of climate change and highest priority adaptation options at the district level were documented through a review of national policies and literature studies and qualitative research based on Focus Group Discussions (FGDs).ResultsBetween 1990 and 2018, the overall average production of major cereal crops in Nepal was increased by around 2,245 MT annually. In the district level index analysis, the highest production score was found for Jhapa and Morang while the lowest production score was found for Humla. Cases of malnutrition in some districts coincided with flood and heavy rainfall events, indicating that climate change and extreme climatic events have a role to play in food production and security. Growing drought-tolerant crops, changes in crop cycle, riverbed farming practices, and development of short-term strategies, such as contingency crop planning, changing plantation dates, plantation of short-duration varieties, and evacuation schemes. Similarly, long-term strategies, such as encouraging out-migration of population to safer locations, resettlement programs with transformative livelihood options, and sustainable agricultural practices were found to be key prioritized adaptation measures for a resilient food system.ConclusionIn Nepal, climate change and the increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme climatic events adversely affect the food production system, which has become a serious threat to food and nutritional security. The implementation of evidence-based practices to build a resilient food system specific to climate-vulnerable hotspots at the district and local levels is the nation's current need.

What are the Problems and Issues related to Climate Change in Nepal? Understanding the Need of Massive Restoration of Ecosystem

Nepal has already started experiencing impact of the climate change and threats arises from geography, demography, socio economic and other factors. The rising temperature, melting glaciers, no rainfalls in monsoon, forests fire, decreasing water level shows that people have started facing the issues. Through the help of 100 questionnaire, this research tries to dig the ongoing issues and problems related to climate change in Nepal. The study is able to identify huge number of problems and issues that needs to be immediately addressed by understanding the need of massive restoration of ecosystem to save the Earth. The overall problems and issues suggest that Nepal has not done huge difference and impact in the field of climate change and restoration of environment. These problems and issues have severe impact on sectors like water, energy, biodiversity, agriculture, and livelihoods of millions of populations. These problems need to be address immediately by the responsible bodies. Failure to address these problems at the earliest will have threat to Nepal’s economy and society.

Time to change? Technologies of futuring and transformative change in Nepal’s climate change policy

ABSTRACT This paper calls for a more critical analysis of implicit social values in time-based projections of transformative change in climate change policy in developing countries. The paper argues that transformative change is a form of socio-technical imaginary, in which contemporary visions of social order influence supposedly technical, and apolitical policies and timelines. To analyse these imaginaries, the paper applies the framework of ‘technologies of futuring’, or the processes in which projections about the future are imbued with implicit values, to different theories of change used to propose responses to climate change in Nepal. The paper shows that projections of future change are linked to assumptions about physical risks and social agency that reflect different, and contestable, worldviews. This chapter concludes that discussions about transformative change need to make assumptions about risk and society more transparent when proposing urgent deadlines based on assumptions about the future.

Understanding the Low Carbon Consumption Habits of Nepalese Population for Tackling Climate Change at Community Level

Researchers and politicians have argued that communities might be a valuable tool in the fight against climate change, but there is no empirical data to support this in Nepal. The government of Nepal has started and committed responding to climate change, risk and impact through its integrated policies and action. Diverse impacts of climate change represent a serious threat to Nepal's economic and society. If you want to come up with a good adaptation strategy, you need to know how the patterns of climate change are anticipated by the public people and its impact can be measured in future. This study tries to find out the attitudes of the public towards the climate change and saving of environment. The study finds out that majority of people are not seriously aware about the climate change. The community people do not know the impact and saving of environment, animals, forests, water resources etc. They are more self-centric and concern about themselves. The study further argues that it is necessary to change the behavior of public towards the climate change and environmental savings for achieving its efficiency. This is only the first steps to combat the climate change in Nepal. Note: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this articles. The author(s) declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Trend of Climate Change in Nepal: The Case from Morang District

Global circulation model (GCM) projections indicate that the temperature over Nepal will increase between 0.5ºC and 2.0ºC with a multi-model mean of 1.4ºC, by the 2030s and between 3.0ºC and 6.3ºC, with a multi-model mean of 4.70C, by the 2090s. In this context, this paper highlights trend of climate change and its impact on crop production practices of Morang district. The research issues are appraised based on secondary data and document review. This study found that crops production trend has been changed in Morang District. It has decreased from 392330 metric ton in 2068/69 into 318841 metric ton in 2069/70. However, the production of Paddy wheat, maize, oilseed, pulses, potato, vegetables fruits and jute are loss but millet, sugarcane, spices, fish, tea, cardamom and mushroom are increased.Due to climate change, different types of insects are attacking Soil fertility is also declining. Climate change has led to a decline in agricultural production due to floods, inundation of arable lands, changes in the timing of cultivation, and failure of previously planted fertilizer seeds. Therefore, the local and central government must provide subsidy to the marginal farmers through the affirmative attractive policies and programs.

Perception to Adaptation of Climate Change in Nepal: An Empirical Analysis Using Multivariate Probit Model

This study assessed farmers’ perception of climate change, and estimated the determinants of, and evaluated the relationship among, adaptation practices using the multivariate probit model. A survey in 300 agricultural households was carried out covering 10 sample districts considering five agro-ecological zones and a vulnerability index. Four adaptation choices (change in planting date, crop variety, crop type and investment in irrigation) were deemed as outcome variables and socioeconomic, demographic, institutional, farm-level and perceptions variables were deployed as explanatory variables. Their marginal effects were determined for three climatic variables—temperature, precipitation and drought. Age, gender and education of head of household, credit access, farm area, rain-fed farming and tenure, were found to be more influential compared to other factors. All four adaptation options were found to be complimentary to each other. Importantly, the intensity of the impact of dependent variables in different models, and for the available adaptation options, were found to be unequal. Therefore, policy options and support facilities should be devised according to climatic variables and adaptation options to achieve superior results.