Climate Change Impact, Adaptation Practices and Policies in Nepal Krishna R Tiwari, Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University Pokhara Nepal Climate Change & Dev. Policy Conference UNU- WIDER, 28- 29 Sept 2012, Helsinki 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 1
Outline • Climate Change (CC) situation in Nepal • Methodology • Result and Discussion Impact on – Agriculture – Water resources • Adaptation practices • Nepal CC Policies in practice – Policy gap – Challenges • Way forward 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 2
CC situation in Nepal • Nepal the 4th most vulnerable country Attributable to • High exposure : Temperature increasing trend 0.06 0 C /Yr in High mountain to globally (0.02 0 C) • High sensitivity Young geology/steep slopes • Low adaptive capacity Extreme poverty/difficult access • Although, GHG emission is negligible (0.025%) but tremendous negative impacts of CC MOE (2010) projected that increased temperature by another 1.2°C by 2030, 1.7°C by 2050, and 3.0°C by 2100 in Nepal. Temperature rise in these areas increase the rate of snow and 3 glacier melt, releasing a higher volume of water to flow into lower region (Practical Action, 2010). 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 3
All Ne pa l te mpe ra ture tre nd 2006 Warmest year in record All Nepal Temperature Trend Last 6 Consecutive years y = 0.0423x + 19.282 R 2 = 0.6287 amongst Warmest 12 years: 21.5 21.0 20.5 Temperature (°C) 20.0 19.5 19.0 18.5 18.0 17.5 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1975 1977 1999 2001 2003 2005 Year • All Nepal Temperature is increasing steadily • About 1.8°C increase from 1975 – 2006 Source: Baidya 2007 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 4
CC situation….. Additionally, in case of precipitation: • Regional precipitation series showed significant variability on annual and decadal time scales (Shrestha, et al ., 2000). • From the trend observed between 1976 and 2005, it is expected that the regions with already high precipitation will receive more rainfall and those with low precipitation will see further decrease (Practical action 2010). • It is also reported that over the past decades rainfall has become more intense, highly variable, longer gaps of no rain and delayed monsoon. • Resilience to climate risk is poor in most areas because of fragility 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 5
Objective of the study • To assess the local people experiences on climate change, its impact at Transhimalayan- Northern to Terai – Southern region and their adaptation practices that enable them to maintain their livelihood • To review the recent CC policies and their implementation practices on CC adaptation at local level 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 6
Map of the Study Area 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 7
Methodology • The study was divided into two parts – Primary data collection through focus group discussion, share learning dialogue, interaction workshop with district level stakeholders (GOs/NGOs), and key informant interview with different field, district level technicians, – as well as national level policy makers and field observations. • Reviewed CC related policies, programme, documents for policy analysis from national to local level. 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 8
Key informant interview 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 9
Group discussion 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 10
Household survey 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 11
Consultative meetings with different district level organizations 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 12
Results and Discussion • Major CC Impacts area – Agriculture and Food security, Water resources, Climate induced disaster, Forest and biodiversity, Public health and Urban settlement and infrastructure. The paper mainly discusses on agriculture and • water resources because majority of the population (80 %) depends on agriculture for their livelihood 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 13
Agriculture Farming 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 14
Impact on Agriculture • Variability of the precipitation (amount distribution and timing) increasing uncertainty resulted negative impact on agriculture production of both summer crops ( maize, paddy) and winter crops (wheat, legume and mustard). • Rain fed crops like Wheat, Oil crops (Rape mustard), winter vegetables and Maize production are severely affected due to low rainfall during winter and pre-monsoon. • Increased food insecurity and rural livelihood 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 15
Impact on Agriculture…… • In case of high mountain, (Mustang) farmers reported that unpredictable and un-timely precipitation in recent years (in the month of May) resulted damaged crops such as barley, wheat, and oat during harvesting time. • Low soil temperature for maize seed germination in the month of May. • Some have positive impacts as such opportunities to plant fruit ( Apple and Orange) and vegetables (cabbage) in the higher mountain. 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 16
9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 17
Impact on Water Resources • Too little and too much water in some places and time, and degraded water quality are the major issues in this region • More than 80 % communities have experienced increased water stress and decreased rainfall and delay in monsoon (15 to 20 days) • Local communities from High mountain (Mustang district) have experienced during the last few years (6-7) the low snowfall but high rainfall 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 18
Impact……… • High mountains communities reported that there used to be good snowfall in high altitude area, with up to 2 to 2.5 feet in the past. • But, lately snowfall is only negligible during the last 5-6 years. • Furthermore, local people in the high mountains have also noticed spectacular changes in their surroundings in the last couple of decades; hillsides that once used to be covered in snow throughout the year are now bare and dry. • Water resources have decreased in natural springs and stream flow in the study area 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 19
Local adaptation practices • Degradation of the High mountain grass land people have reduced the livestock numbers and changed occupation • Mountain and Siwalik region, local people have been managing forest as a community forest, or leasehold forest • Adoption of Sloping Agriculture Land Technology (SALT) as an agroforestry practice 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 20
Adaptation practices….. • Local farmers were practicing vegetable as a crop diversification, livelihood diversification to earn more income than cereal crops in the Mid mountain and Siwalik region • Local farmers reported the change in the seed sowing and planting time as well as adoption of early ripening and drought tolerant varieties in their farm lands. • Limited farmers have irrigation facilities for their crop production. • Limited framers have now started rain water harvesting, conservation pond and utilization of excess drinking water for vegetable production 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 21
Adaptation Drip irrigation 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 22
9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 23
Climate Change policies Initiatives in Nepal • GoN has initiated several activities to implement mitigation and adaptation measures to combat CC problems. • CC policy is the newest addition to Nepal’s legislative framework. • The policy has come with international signing treaty and convention • CC initiatives passed 20 years 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 24
CC Initiatives in Nepal Date Policy highlight Key features 1992 Participated CC business Signed the United Nations Framework Convention on CC (UNFCC) UN Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 1994 Instrument of ratification on UNFCCC has entered into force in Nepal as per the CC Convention provision 1998 National Conservation Milestone in the field of CC, which has three objectives: Strategy 1998 (a) Sustainable use of water, land, forest and other renewable resources, (b) Conservation and promotion of bio-diversity (forest and agricultural) and (c) Protection of eco-system 2003 Sustainable Identified CC as the Future Agenda for Action. Development Agenda for Nepal (SDAN) 2005 Nepal submitted the The Protocol has entered into force in Nepal. In order to instrument of accession to expedite CDM projects, and get benefits from them, the the Government of Nepal has made the Ministry of Kyoto Protocol to its Environment (MOE) responsible to function as the depository Designated National Authority 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 25
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