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VOL. 03, NO. 08, Sept. 11 2009 (Bhadra 26 2066) |
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FROM KATHMANDU TO COPENHEGAN
Climate Concerns
As authorities prepare their agenda for this December’s climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, they are expected to take into account erratic weather patterns and rising temperatures observed in various parts of Nepal over the decades. Topping the list of concerns is the danger of a glacial lake outburst. People living in countries like Nepal have contributed little to climate damage. Nevertheless, they are paying the price. A 10 point agenda for the Copenhagen Summit agreed upon by officials of South Asian countries can be a good beginning to address the climate concerns. Nepal’s major development partners have offered to provide necessary support to carry adaptation programs, which is something of an added assurance. The big question remains: How will all this translate into practice?
By KESHAB POUDEL
Hundreds of reports, case studies and research findings have predicted that mountainous countries like Nepal will be at severe risks due to climate change.
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Regional Conference: For Common cause |
As flooding, erratic rainfall, drought and rising sea levels are becoming harsh realities in the South Asian region, one positive thing to come out of SAARC nations was the regional meet on climate change in Kathmandu, held from August 31 to September 1. The meet was hosted by Nepal’s government, with support from Asian Development Bank (ADB), DANIDA, DFID, and the World Bank, with the intent to find a common position for the nations to take to the Climate Summit in Copenhagen this December.
Government officials and experts realized the need for joint action to address the climate change issue. Thanks to the conference, Kathmandu to Copenhagen: A Vision for Addressing Climate Change Risks and Vulnerabilities in the Himalayas, SAARC nations developed a regional approach to climate change for the first time.
Government representatives from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal of South Asia and the Kirgiz republic of central Asia, discussed the risks posed by climate change and agreed on ways to overcome the crisis.
A ten point message stressed the need to translate the respective capabilities and historical responsibility of the developed countries, as envisaged in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), into operational practice. The message noted that the world had spent more on corporate/financial bailouts than on promoting sustainability, and had spent the least on addressing climate change.
“We are happy to announce a message agreed by all the participants of the regional meet to be taken to Copenhagen as a common agenda,” said Dr. Udaya Raj Sharma, secretary at the Ministry of Environment, while addressing a press conference.
“Despite several weaknesses, a consensus regional message to the world regarding the issues faced by us is a good beginning. We have reached a consensus on approaches like adaptation, sharing knowledge and funding,” he said. “We have also agreed on issues like development and transfer of clean technologies by Annex 1 countries to non-Annex 1 countries and financing mechanism on adaptation and technologies.”
The worries of the region are understandable. According to a 2007 study conducted by ADB, nine of the countries with the highest death rate caused by extreme weather lie in Asia. The countries most affected included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
“The Himalayas are the water towers of South Asia. Himalayan glaciers form a reservoir that supports perennial rivers on which millions of people in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal depend for survival. About 10 percent of the volume of Himalayan Rivers comes from melting water from the glaciers, which are essential to sustain river flows during dry seasons,” states ADB’s study on Building Climate Resilience in the Agriculture Sector in South Asia. “Due to rising temperatures, these glaciers are now receding faster than any glaciers in the world.”
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has noted the gravity of the issue. “Climate change is threatening human existence. It is a global agenda and we must work together to support the people affected as a result of rising temperature,” he said. “We are ready to work jointly to address this issue.”
From the challenges of adaptation to other issues, the countries of the region have been facing the same problems but previously had not common agenda. “It is good to see the common agenda agreed upon by government representatives of the region at the final days of the conference. The effective management of water resources across the region is vital if we are to combat the potentially-catastrophic impacts of climate change such as floods and droughts,” said Jim Drummond, DFID’s director for South Asia, while pledging an extra 2.7 million sterling pounds for improving the management of regional water resources in South Asia.
“Through the spirit of regional cooperation demonstrated here at the climate change conference, we hope to see long-term solutions to the challenges,” Drummond concluded.
Experts defended the need of a common approach to meet the challenges. “South Asia’s vulnerability to climate change has extremely serious implications for agriculture and therefore food security,” Kunio Sega, director General of ADB’s South Asia Department said while addressing the press conference.
Preliminary findings from an ADB study revealed that melting Himalayan glaciers and other climate change impacts posed a direct threat to the water and food security of more than 1.6 billion people of South Asia. The study warned that if current trends persisted until 2050, the yields of irrigated crops of South Asia would decrease significantly.
“Unless actions are taken to combat climate change and adapt to its impacts, progress achieved in meeting the Millennium Development Goals could soon be reversed in the next generation,” said Robert J. Dobias, senior advisor, Climate Change program.
Nepal’s Scenario
Nepal is highly vulnerable to climate change. As the world faces a prolonged period of planetary warming, Nepal is already experiencing the impacts of increasing temperatures, particularly at higher altitudes where temperatures are rising faster.
“In the last few years, we have recorded extreme weather patterns in different parts of the country. There are more warmer days in winter and less cooler nights. Similarly, we have had the warmest day in summer. The rainfall is also varied with concentration of rain and precipitation,” said Sarju Vaidya, senior meteorologist with Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.
According to ICIMOD reports, the warming in the Himalayas has been much greater than the global average. Nepal’s temperature is rising 0.6 degrees Celsius per decade compared with a global average of o.74 of degrees Celsius. If the earth continues to warm at the present rate, Nepal’s poor communities will suffer.
“Poor and marginalized communities tend to be those most vulnerable to climate change and least able to cope with weather related disasters because of lack of access to information and resources to reduce the their risk,” said Prabin Man Singh, coauthor of Oxfam’s report on climate change, poverty and adaptation in Nepal.
In conjunction with the regional conference, the government of Nepal, DFID and the World Bank hosted a dedicated Nepal day to discuss the agenda of Nepal and the commitments of Nepal’s development partners. One of the achievements of the conference was a pledge from Nepal’s major development partners to provide necessary support for climate change programs.
Resource constraints and lack of expertise have hampered the implementation of the programs in the past.
According to a recent study conducted by Oxfam, ‘Climate Change, Poverty and Adaptation in Nepal’, poor crop yields, water shortages and more extreme temperatures are pushing rural villagers closer to the brink as climate change grips Nepal.
The report estimates that currently more than 3.4 million Nepalese require food assistance, due to a combination of natural disasters, including last year’s winter drought –one of the worst in the country’s history. Although isolated droughts cannot be attributed to climate change, climate models predicting less winter rain indicate the current situation is worsening.
The Nepal day concluded with an understanding between the government of Nepal, Ministry of Environment, and development partners on ways to address climate change challenges.
Presented by Nepal Climate Vulnerability Study Team (NCVST), the report entitled ‘Vulnerabilities through the Eyes of the Vulnerable’ described climate change induced uncertainties and Nepal’s development predicaments. Nepalese and international experts prepared the report.
As the Copenhagen Summit approaches, climate change dominates the headlines and talks among stakeholders. After signing the agreement on climate change in Nepal, Nepal’s development partners have also shown that they want to support the poor people of Nepal to overcome the new challenges. Climate Change is now on the agenda.
“The conference was successful” - Purushottam Ghimire
PURUSHOTTAM GHIMIRE, joint secretary at the Ministry of Environment, is leading the focal point on climate change in his ministry. After hosting the regional conference on the global issue in Kathmandu, Ghimire spoke to NEW SPOTLIGHT on the outcome of the conference. Excerpts:
What is the impression of the government of Nepal on the recently concluded regional conference on climate change?
It was a matter of pride for all of us to hold the first regional level conference on climate change in Nepal. The conference was successful. As organizers, we are very happy.
What achievements has the conference made?
One of the important achievements of the conference was that the countries of the region have built a consensus 10-point agenda. The 10 points agreed by SAARC countries will guide our participation in the upcoming climate change summit in Copenhagen. This is historic.
Will SAARC countries push for adoption of the 10-point agenda in the coming days?
There is a consensus among us on the 10 points. We have agreed to take them to climate meetings in Bangkok and Copenhagen.
How do you view the donor’s pledge on climate change?
This is a good beginning as Nepal’s major development partners have come together to express their commitment to containing the effects of climate change. The message of donors is clear: Nepal will not have to face resource constraints in implementing its plans and programs.
What specific agenda will Nepal take to Copenhagen?
We don’t have a specific agenda for Copenhagen in terms of country’s own needs, although the affected population in Nepal is pressing us to raise their concerns. We have to join in a group that is going to be effective. For instance, all countries with mountain terrains are going to Copenhagen with a common agenda. The aim of the recently concluded regional climate change conference is also to build a vision for addressing climate change risks and vulnerabilities in the Himalayas.
What issues will Nepal raise?
In totality, our agenda will be to press Annex 1 countries to reduce greenhouse gasses. We will also demand funds from Annex 1 countries to run the adaptation program. Although developed countries are providing the funds through various channels, we want the funding to be channeled through UNFCC mechanism. Major funding should come from UNFCC and not from bilateral donors.
Why do you prefer UNFCC?
We want to have a direct access to the funds. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) mechanism gives us this access. We want to have direct relations between donors and recipients. This is what we have also included in the 10-point agenda and the national agenda.
Do you have the capacity to manage resources?
We need support to enhance our capacity but nothing has taken place in the past. In the name of capacity enhancement, resources have been spent to hire the consultants. We used to sign the documents but they enhanced the capacity and capability of consultants.
What are the government’s major targets for Copenhagen?
We have set our targets on the following issues: shred vision, mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, financing and REED. We are preparing country papers on these six issues.
What is the government’s view on mitigation?
At the international level, mitigation is not our agenda. Nepal is one of the countries which contributes insignificant emissions. For our national agenda, we are trying to do our best to reduce greenhouse gasses. We are the sufferers and Annex 1 countries should pay funds to launch the adaptation program for us.
