Environment and Wildlife Protection

FOREST:NATURE AT YOUR SERVICE

2012-01-14T19:24:00.000-08:00

1.6 BILLION PEOPLE DEPEND ON FORESTS FOR THEIR LIVELIHOODS. SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON FORESTS TO SURVIVE .FORESTS ARE FEEDING OUR RIVERS AND ARE SUPPLYING WATER FOR NEARLY 50% OF OUR LARGEST CITIES.AS WE KNOW THAT TREES MAINTAIN SOIL FERTILITY,THEY HELP TO REGULATE THE DEVASTING IMPACT OF STORMS,FLOODS ETC…FORESTS COVER A LARGE AREA ON EARTH.THEY ARE THE GREEN LUNGS OF EARTH AND VITAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

WE ARE DESTROYING THE FORESTS WE NEED TO LIVE AND BREATHE. WHY?? THIS ANSWER SHOULD BE GIVEN BY THE PEOPLE WHO DESTROYS FORESTS.THIS IS A REPORT FROM THE GLOBAL AFFORESTATION COMMITTEE THAT EVERY YEAR, 13 MILLION HECTARES OF FOREST ARE DESTROYED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONSERVING FORESTS AND EXPANDING THEM NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.WHEN WE ADD IT UP, AN INVESTMENT OF US$30 BILLION FIGHTING DEFORESTATION AND DEGRADATION COULD PROVIDE A RETURN OF US$2.5 TRILLION IN NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.

THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FORESTS IS INTENDED TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLANET AND ABOUT THE ECONOMIC, SOCIO-CULTURAL,AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT FORESTS PROVIDE. WE SHOULD CONVEY THE MESSAGE THAT “FORESTS FOR PEOPLE”, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT FORESTS ARE MOST BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE ECO SYSTEMS ON LAND.

AS THE FAMOUS POET “THEODORE ROOSEVELT(1858-1919)” SAID THAT A COUNTRY WITHOUT TREES IS ALMOST AS A PEOPLE WITHOUT CHILDREN.

ANOTHER NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF DEFORESTATION IS THAT IT CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGES ALL OVER THE WORLD.THE MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF TREES NEGATIVELY EFFECTS THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THE AIR WE BREATHE WHICH HAS DIRECT REPERCUSSIONS ON THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG BOTH HUMANS AND ANIMALS ALIKE. THE REMOVAL OF FORESTS WOULD CAUSE RAINFALL TO DECLINE MORE THAN 26%.

FROM THE ABOVE TABLE WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THE LEVEL OF DEFORESTATION IS INCREASED IN 2010 AND 2011. THIS SHOWS THAT THE LEVEL OF DEFORESTATION IS INCREASING THESE DAYS.BUT WE STILL CAN PASS OUR MESSAGE TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE WORLD AND MAKE OUR WORLD A GREENY PLANET.SO WE SHOULD TRY OUR BEST TO PASS THE MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE WHICH WE KNOW.

A LONG TIME AGO, ABOUT 70% OF THE EARTHS SURFACE WAS COVERED BY FORESTS NOW IT IS ONLY 31 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL LAND AREA ON THE EARTH.THEY SUPPORT 80 PER CENT OF THE TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY THAT LIVE IN THEM. SO, A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TOWARDS AFFORESTATION HAS TO BE TAKEN UP IN ALL COUNTRIES TO NOT ONLY MAINTAIN LIFE ON EARTH BUT ALSO TO MAINTAIN ECONOMIC STABILITY IN THE WORLD.

WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF GIFTS FROM A FOREST, WHICH EN-RICHES OUR LIVES, INCLUDING FOOD, MEDICINE, HERBS, NUTS, PAPER, MATERIALS FOR WOOD CRAFTS, MUSHROOMS ETC…..SOME OF THE REASONS OF DEPLETION OF FOREST ARE: CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS AND DAMS CAUSING GREAT DAMAGE TO FORESTS, EXCESSIVE USE OF WATER FOR FUEL, INDISCRIMINATE LOGGING ETC……

WE KNOW THAT TREES GIVES US SHADE. WHEN WE DESTROY THE TREES, WE DESTROYS THE SHADE WE NEED. AS IT IS VERY USEFUL TO US WE NEED TO GROW MORE TREES. WE CAN SEE THAT MANY POOR LABOURERS WHO WORK IN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES REST IN THESE SHADES OF TREES. WE COULD HELP THEM BY GROWING MORE AND MORE TREES.

THE EARTH IS A LONELY PLANET. IT IS LONELY BECAUSE NOBODY SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT NEEDS. TODAY IT IS IN DANGER. IT IS TRYING TO TALK TO US. IT WANTS US TO LISTEN. IT WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND. IT WANTS US TO ACT. THE WORLD IS IN OUR HANDS. TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT. IT IS THE ONLY HOME WE HAVE.

This articles is written by KIRAN GOPINATH STUDENT OF NEW INDIAN MODEL SCHOOL DUBAI, 7^THA.

Learning a lesson from crop failures attributed to climate change, Nepal’s women farmers are discarding imported hybrid seeds and husbanding hardier l

2011-09-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

"I had a crop failure two years ago," says Shobha Devkota, 32, from Jibjibe village in Rasuwa, a hilly district in central Nepal which is part of the Langtang National Park, a protected area encompassing two more districts, Nuwakot and Sindhupalchowk.

"The maize was attacked by pests, the paddy had no grain and the soil grew hard. I had a tough time trying to feed my three daughters and sending them to school."

Since her marriage 17 years ago, Shobha had been sharing farming chores with her husband Ram Krishna. However, when he left for Dubai four years ago to work as a security guard, farming became her responsibility entirely.

Though she has never been to school and can only scrawl her name, Shobha and other women in the village who share similar backgrounds, are keenly aware of changing climate and its adverse impact on livelihoods.

"Daytime temperatures are rising, rainfall has become erratic and there are frequent landslides and hailstorms," she says.

In 2007, when World Wildlife Fund-Nepal (WWF-Nepal) launched its Langtang National Park and Buffer Zone Support Project to conserve biodiversity and enhance livelihood opportunities by integrated management of land, forest and water resources, it commissioned a study on the impact of climate changes in Rasuwa.

The study by Resource Identification and Management Society-Nepal, after consultations with villagers and analysing data from 1978 to 2007, came up with alarming findings: There was an increase in seasonal, yearly and monthly temperatures in summer and monsoon while winter temperatures were decreasing.

Even more critically for agriculture, the average annual rainfall distribution showed a decreasing trend of nearly one mm per year.

The changes were believed to have led to frequent landslides, droughts, hailstones, and windstorms. In addition, there were frequent outbreaks of diseases like jaundice, typhoid and diarrhoea.

Agriculture, the mainstay of the district, was hit by loss of arable land due to landslides, pests and crop diseases.

When WWF-Nepal started consultations with villagers on how to protect water resources and crops, the women pointed out that the indigenous seeds they had used in the past were better suited to the changing weather conditions.

"The local seeds we used could withstand both excessive rain and drought," says Chandrakumari Paneru, a 27-year-old female farmer from Bhorle village and a university degree holder in a district where almost 60 percent of the population can only sign their names.

"But we had to use hybrid seeds imported from India as local stocks were decreasing. The hybrid seeds produced a good crop one year, but the next year they would prove sterile. It led to farmers using more chemical fertilisers and the soil turned hard while health hazards increased."

Paneru is also a member of the Mahalaxmi Women’s Savings and Loan Cooperative. In a village that has no banks, it collects small sums of money from its 200-odd members to create a modest fund that can provide loans in times of need.

"As we were running our own cooperative, we felt we could do something more on our own," says Paneru. "So we asked WWF-Nepal to help us set up a community seed bank."

In 2010, Paneru and another member of the cooperative, Ambika Poudel, went to visit three community seed banks in the far western districts of Bardiya and Kailali to see how they worked.

Encouraged by the seed bank they saw at Masuria in Kailali district, also run by women, they established the Bhorle Community Seed Bank, the first of its kind in Rasuwa, with Nepali rupees 80,000 (about 1,084 dollars) provided by WWF-Nepal.

Operating from a room in a one-storey building, the seed bank today stocks 68 varieties of seeds, including grains like rice, maize and millets, and vegetables like tomato, green chilli, cauliflower and cabbage. The women’s cooperative runs from the adjacent room.

Members of the bank can take loans of one to two kg of seeds and have to repay twice the amount within six months.

This year, the seed bank put up a stall at an organic biodiversity fair to explain how local seeds meant better insurance against weather swings and how the bank operated.

Unknown to the women of Rasuwa, the government of Nepal has been following their example. The department of agriculture has established community seed banks in three more districts: Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk and Dadeldhura.

"In 2009-2010, there was a severe maize crop failure in two districts in southern Nepal, Bara and Parsa, that imported about 30 percent of their seeds from India," says Dilaram Bhandari, chief of the seed quality control centre in the agriculture department.

"The seed banks were started to boost the replacement of quality local seeds as well as preserve biodiversity," Bhandari explained.

While women comprise more than 50 percent of Nepal’s nearly 29 million population, in many districts their numbers are higher due to outmigration of men in search of jobs. That has led to nearly 40 percent of farming now being done by women, according to Bhandari.

In the seed banks and other cooperatives run by the government, the state policy is to ensure at least 33 percent participation by women.

"We chose Rasuwa because it is much more vulnerable to climate change, being both a mountain community and a poor district," says Moon Shrestha, senior climate change adaptation officer at WWF- Nepal. "We had to also keep in mind the capacity of the community to adapt to the changes.

"Today, the Bhorle Community Seed Bank is not just a pilot project it is a demonstration site as well."

Derived from:http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105009

RAMPANT deforestation: Rupandehi being denuded of forests

2011-08-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Rupandehi has lost around 8,000 hectares of forestland in the last four decades.

Rapid deforestation and urbanisation have encroached upon the forest under the supervision of District Forest Office (DFO).

The DFO has failed to check the rampant destruction of the natural resource in the name of providing shelter to landless and freed bonded labourers. Infrastructures such as electricity facilities, road, drinking water systems, schools and hospitals on the encroached area have made it tougher for the DFO to reclaim the forestland.

Depletion of forest cover is notable in Butwal municipality and Rudrapur, Devdaha, Bansgadi, Gajedi, Kerwani, Makahar and Parroha VDCs in the district. “As leaders are trading trees for votes, encroachers have political backing. We cannot evacuate them in such a situation,” said District Forest Officer Shivaraj Wagle.

People say the DFO is condoning the takeover of the forestland. “Instead of driving out encroachers, the government is helping these illegal settlers by providing them with schools, roads and water projects,” said Khagendra Thapa Magar of Rudrapur VDC.

Besides erecting huts on the encroached forest area, some settlers are earning profits out of land dealings. Some people have even set up real estate firms to trade in the encroached land. They openly claim that it is too late for the government to evacuate the settlers.

Prem Shrestha of Hattisudh Settlement Development Committee said the government cannot evacuate the settlers without rehabilitating them. “The government should relocate us, with provisions of infrastructures and basic amenities. Or else, the people will protest,” he said.

According to a study conducted by the Pokhara-based Western Regional Forest Office, there are two

types of encroachment in Rupandehi. The first is temporarily occupied forestland that could be evacuated if political parties and authorities concerned unite for the purpose.

The second—rampant in the district—is concrete buildings with road, water and electricity facilities constructed on forestland.

Derived from:http://www.ekantipur.com/2011/08/20/national/rampant-deforestation-rupandehi-being-denuded-of-forests/339398.html

Yala‚ AX010 glaciers on verge of vanishing

2011-08-03T08:45:00.001-07:00

KATHMANDU: Japanese researchers today said two glaciers of Nepal would vanish soon if the present ice melting rate continues.

Two researchers—Koji Fujita and Takayuki Nuimura from Nagoya University of Japan revealed that the two glaciers Yala in central Nepal and AX010 in eastern Nepal have been receding at a very fast rate.

The glaciers were surveyed between 2008 to 2010 using a single frequency carrier-phase differential Global Positioning System (GPS). One GPS receiver was set on the ground as base station and the others were used as mobile stations.

“Yala’s mass shrank by 0.8 (2.6 feet) and AX010 by 0.81 metres per year in the 2000s, up from 0.68 and 0.72 metres per year between 1970 and 1990, said Koji Fujita at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies in Nagoya University in Japan, quoted Reuters.

The debate on the melting of glaciers on the Himalayas, which has been a hot topic after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — a UN scientific body that oversees issues of climate change — mentioned in its fourth assessment report that all the glaciers in the Himalayan region would disappear by 2035.

After the dispute that lasted over three years, IPCC, in 2010 admitted the statement had overestimated the effect, but said the melting rate has undoubtedly increased.

The Himalayan region is said to be a very less studied area regarding glaciers and is still on the data gap region.

Derived from:http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Yala%E2%80%9A+AX010+glaciers+on+verge+of+vanishing&NewsID=297967

Climate change adaptation challenge

2011-07-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

There is uncontestable evidence that human induced climate change is inevitably leading the world to ecological disaster with grave human implications. With steady but sure irreversible impacts on human life and livelihood, the disaster is particularly threatening the most vulnerable developing countries of the world.The question often raised is about the role that the media are playing or can, and should play to create people’s awareness and to impel them to action about how to confront and minimize or eliminate that threat of climate change.

What type of media, and through what type of communication process and content can the problematic issues of climate change be addressed effectively? For the decision-makers at the international level, the world climate change messages are reached through the mass media and other institutional channels, and they may influence the global thinking about the local problems. But, at the ground implementation level, the role of community media is stressed on the assumption that this type of media has the appropriate structure and potentials of conduct and performance to effectively particularize issues of climate change with meaningful messages .

Because of the existence of indigenous inter-personal channels of communication, the concept of conservation of forest for fortification (van-durga), for religious purpose(devithan), and as a source of water resources (dhap) has become common to the Nepalis from generation to generation; they plant saplings on the portion of their land where they perceive danger of mud slides. or landslides (pahiro roktham), and they build embankments (bandh) to control the flow of flooding rivers or rivulets. Indigenous communication network spread the message of self-reliant private climate resilience efforts.

The significant change in this communication process is the inclusion of the concept of climate change, which is admittedly a consequence of the Industrial Revolution.

Nepal became more aware of the nature of world climate change when it was awarded The Montreal Protocol Implementers Award for the year 2007, for its contribution towards global efforts for protection of the ozone layer from depletion, and consequently from various health hazards. Very recently, the rural communities in three districts of Nepal were awarded handsomely in cash by an international climate change organization in recognition of their efforts for developing carbon sinks by way of community forests in their villages. To enable the least developed Nepal to minimize adverse effects of climate change, the Climate Change Fund has announced to provide it more than US$ 100 million, partly in grant-in-aid and partly as a long- term soft loan.

The rural communities are becoming more aware of what they are doing to ward off the effects of the global industrial cause for which they are not responsible. The localized meaning of this happenings are communicated to the developing rural community through inter-personal as well as mass media channels, which are structured as integral parts of the larger social system. We view these channels as the social structure functioning as sub-systems within the larger social systems to perform the task of making essential contribution to facilitating innovations, adaptation, empowerment and progress towards behavioural and cultural change, besides providing information about climate change events and conditions.

Mahabir Pun’s Nepal Wireless (with the Internet) Networking Project is a case in point. The threats posed by climate change vary from country to country and so also the capacity to deal with them. The status of adaptation awareness in Nepal is reflected in the development policy and programmes, and strategies for community forestry, or for building warning systems for communities living in the Himalayan flood prone areas, or for setting up a system of protection from flash floods. However, the farmers in Nepal face more challenging issues of climate change like deterioration or failure or fall in productivity of their cultivated land, livestock or aquaculture. They tend to translate climate change effects into fatalism, and are hardly able to comprehend the implications of global warming and power wrangling at the international level, like the Kyoto Protocol,or the Montreal Protocol. Given the fact that there are hundreds of community broadcasting stations in operation in Nepal, it has become a matter of public concern how effective have they been in creating community awareness about climate change adaptation through the process of participation in the national and local level planning, in production and consumption of climate change media content.

A basic level climate change message impact study of community broadcasting programmes may help to address this concern. It may reveal how the grassroots communities gain control over a) their social and economic conditions, b) their democratic participation within their communities, and c) their narratives. And, relate them to the climate change issues.

Derived from:thehimalayantimes.com 2011-07-20

Forest experts seek scientific management

2011-07-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

The experts on forest sector today urged the government to initiate scientific methods to keep the forest area intact.

“We have always taken the forest management as a secondary issue, which has degraded our forest asset,” said DeveshMani Tripathi, president, Nepal Forester’s Association. The experts at the programme said that the nation should think of expanding the forest stock. “The foresters having technical knowledge are compelled to indulge in administrative work. The management of forest in a scientific way should be incorporated at policy level,” said forester Vijaya Raj Subedi.

At one hand, the government vows conservation but on the other, it has taken forest sector as one of the major sectors for revenue generation, said Dinesh Prasad Wagley, general secretary of Nepal Forest Products Traders’ Association.

The programme, entitled ‘Forest Management: Opportunities and Challenges’ was organised by Nepal Forester’s Association.

Derived from: thehimalayantimes.com 19 july 2011

Govt agrees to $36 m climate change loan

2011-07-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

Despite criticism by parliamentarians, the Ministry of Environment today finally agreed for a loan of $36 million from the Climate Investment Funds — a multi-donor trust.

The meeting between the World Bank officials and a team led by the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Meena Khanal, in Cape Town, decided to go ahead with the Pilot Project Climate Resilience through loan and grant.

The parliamentarians and civil society have been criticising the loan stating that climate change is a problem entirely created by the developed countries and the support to fight it should be unconditional.

However, the ministry has defended its move saying that the country needs the money to fight climate change. “We need the money and in our experience, the loan is more effective than grant. So, we need to focus on its effectiveness rather discussing whether it is loan or grant,” said Krishna Gyawali, Secretary, Ministry of Environment.

Initially, total fund was

$ 110 million ($ 50 million grant and $ 60 million loan), but after the developed countries, especially the US, failed to provide the fund as per its pledge to the CIF, the loan was reduced from $60 million to $36 million.

“The fund has been approved to build resilience to climate-related hazards through private sector participation,” mentioned the website of CIF, a partnership of the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter American Development Bank, and the World Bank, where 14 developed countries have pledged to contribute .

Derived from:http://www.thehimalayantimes.com 2011-7-18

Nepal : Yema Gharti's new life

2011-07-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

Yema, 39, lives alone with her son, in Nepal. When her husband left them 16 years ago, she had to struggle to find food and to survive on her own. Despite these difficulties, she has been able to pay for the education of her son and has new projects to secure their future.

"I haven't seen my husband for 16 years. He is in Surkhet now with his new wife. When we were first married he used to migrate there for work, then one year he just didn't come back.

At first, I found it very difficult to survive on my own. When a woman is left on her own in our society people have bad feelings towards her. I struggled to find enough food for my son and myself on my own with no support from my husband. Most women survive here because their husband's have migrated for work and when they return they bring back money. But after a while I got used to it. I had to face it and work harder. It's not that much of a problem these days.

"Something good for the community"

It's been 12 years since my son, Ishwar, has seen his father. He does not like to speak about his father because he knows what he did. He never asks about him. He's clever my son and kind. He always did well at school. He got a scholarship for his year 7 & 8 so I didn't have to pay.

Last year Ishwar moved to the Tangari district to get his higher education. I felt that I had to do something to ensure that my son got his education. He can't really work while he is studying so I am paying for his education now. It's hard but I can manage. Usually I sell my goats and pigs to get enough to pay for the fees. In our caste system there is a trend for making alcohol so sometimes I can do that to make some money. I am very proud of him. I know my son will do something really good with his life. He's hasn't made up his mind what he wants to do yet but he says he wants to do something good for this community. I really think he will do something good here. I would like him to have a good job so that he can secure his future.

I also had a daughter two years after my son was born, but she died four days after I gave birth to her. I never gave her a name.

"I have learnt how to make my signature"

I am very keen to learn things so I go to the participatory learning class whenever I have time. We talk about the problems we are facing. Because we don't have water our land becomes dry and we are not able to produce what we need. We really work very hard in the fields but because we do not have enough rain we cannot produce enough to feed our families. If we had good crops in our fields we would not need to buy food.

I have learnt how to write my name and make my signature. Now when we go for meetings and we have to sign something we can and we don't just have to give a thumbprint. It's a bit shameful just giving a thumbprint. When you make a signature you feel like you are someone.”

Climate change adaptation

I have seen the changes in the weather. Last year there was no rain and we couldn't save any grain. When we don't have any grain left, the only way to survive between harvests is to sell our livestock. Everyone has the same problem, no one has enough to feed their families, so we can't even help each other.

This year it rained a bit so we managed to save half a bucket of grain. I managed to harvest 60 kg of wheat this year using the improved seeds we received, this is really good, but I do not have irrigation on my land so I did not produce as much as I could. Once the irrigation system is finished and I can irrigate my land I will be able to produce even more. When we have irrigation I will have enough to feed my family for the whole year and I will even have enough to save some seeds and plant them the next year. It will be really good."

Cash-for-work helps build micro-irrigation systems

Access to water is essential for long-term food security. Oxfam is paying the community (mainly women) to build micro irrigation systems, which will enable them to grow their crops relying less on the rain. Skilled workers such as stone cutters will be paid $5 a day and unskilled workers, who will mainly be digging and carrying stones will be paid around $3 a day. Oxfam supplies tools and building materials and trains the community how to build and manage their irrigation systems, this is important because it ensures that they can maintain and fix it if anything goes wrong.

The systems works by channelling water from a local water source (spring or river) into a central reservoir located within the village. Hundreds of meters of pipes transport the water from the reservoir out onto individual pieces of land. The whole community (mainly women) work together to dig out the channels, the reservoir and construct the pipe network. The average system will take 80-100 people 3 weeks to build and is likely to serve up to 25 families. Oxfam plans to build two to three systems per community depending on the population and water sources.

Derived from:http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/nepal-yema-ghartis-new-life

Kanchanjunga conservation area: Protected area bracing to become hunting spot

2011-07-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

Kachanjunga Conservation Area (KCA) in Taplejung district is gearing up to become the country’s second trophy hunting destination. If everything goes as planned, the government is likely to issue game licenses to hunt around 13 Himalayan Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur), a highly prized trophy animal in this protected area for the 2012 session.

Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (DHR) in Baglung district is the only destination so far that allows hunting of blue sheep and Himalayan thars with strict monitoring by officials and licensed guides who accompany the hunters. Hunting license is provided during February to April and August to October, every year through bidding process.

Jhamak Karki, under secretary at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), said the proposal regarding the permission to allow hunting of Blue Sheep commonly known as ‘Naur’ inside KCA and submitted by the KCA management council was discussed last week. The council submitted the proposal last week along with necessary guidelines to the DNWPC to allow hunting after the game population was found satisfactory in the area.

He said the DNPWC has suggested the KCA team work further on the proposal which will later be discussed before being sent to the ministry for final approval.

Of the four valleys selected as habitats of Himalayan Blue

Sheep in the region during the census conducted in 2010, two valleys—Yangma and Lelep—have recorded good population of these animals and are likely to be the potential sites for hunting.

A report by the World Wildlife Fund in 2010 on Himalayan Blue sheep census showed a total population of 1,500 of these animals inside KCA. The census was carried out in four major habitat sites—Yangma, Lelep, Khambachhen and Ramjel.

“The other two areas—Khambachhen and Ramjel—have recorded low population of these trophy animals and are located near the India and China border, a concern regarding trans-boundary relations,” said Karki.

Maheshwar Dhakal, ecologist at DNPWC, said the department is positive towards the proposal. However, the final decision will be taken after considering whether the proposed habitats have the carrying capacity for viable population.

“It is about sharing economic benefits of resources among the communities who are part of conservation. The game hunting will not only be part of income source for communities but also help promote tourism prospects in the area,” he said.

According to Karki, the ministry has issued hunting licenses to six companies inside DHR this year. Each animal is priced between Rs 60, 000 to Rs 90,000 excluding other expenses including travel, accommodation and entry fees. Mostly game hunters hunt these animals as recreation and for highly-prized trophies.

Derived from :ekantipur.com 13 july

Flood puts 300 Kavre houses in peril

2011-07-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

KAVRE, JUL 11 - Rajendra KC is living in fear ever since a landslide occurred at Kaire village in Kavre's Kushadevi VDC three days ago.

The landslide has blocked the flow of Roshikhola river and the water level has increased. KC is worried that the river may rise and flood his settlement any time soon.

Like KC, residents of Kushadevi and Bhumidanda VDCs along the river are at risk of flood. Fear psychosis reigns supreme in around 300 households. Bhimsen Thapa Magar, Yagya Bahadur Bhujel and Bhim Bahadur Magar have left their villages for fear of possible flood. “If it rains heavily, the river will wash away our houses,” KC said.

Local people said that the landslide which buried the house and cattle shed of Bhujel occurred due to illegal running of stone mine factories around the two VDCs. He said that noise pollution caused by the factories loosens the hill rocks and landslides occur.

On Sep. 9, 1981, three hundred houses were swept away and Roshi bazaar was buried after a landslide blocked the river. “Our repeated requests to stop operation of the factories to concerned authorities have been ignored,” Bhujel said.

Classes at the local Fulchoki Lower Secondary School have been affected after the road was damaged due to the landslide while electricity supply is disrupted.

Illegal mines still operating

KAVRE: Even after nine months of the decision to scrap all stone mines around Kushadevi and Bhumidanda VDCs in Kavre, the local administration is yet to implement the decision. A meeting of the district-level monitoring and coordination committee last October recommended action against those illegal stone mines which would not come under the registration process within a month of the announcement. However, no action has been taken against these illegally run stone mines.

The Chief District Officer is the chairman of the committee. When asked, Chief District Officer Rudranath Basyal said that his office will start taking action against the stone mines running illegally.

Posted on: 2011-07-11 09:32 on ekantipur.com

Five Innovations that Conserve Water While Improving Harvests

2011-07-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Globally, the use of water for agriculture is surpassing sustainable levels .With increasing pressures on the water supply, farmers are challenged to find new ways to get more crops per drop. Only 4 percent of the land is equipped for irrigation, leaving farmers at the mercy of a limited water supply.

No single innovation can conserve enough water to end the global water crisis, but worldwide there are a number of innovations that are helping farmers maximize their water usage and strengthen food security.

Today, Nourishing the Planet introduces five innovations that are helping farmers conserve water and improve their harvest.

Innovations that help farmers with greater water retention are essential to agricultural growth and the health of crops. (Photo credit: Bernard Pollack)

1. Use more Indigenous Crops: The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter suggests that farmers focus on using indigenous crops to increase land productivity. Growing indigenous crops and diversifying cropping systems are proven ways for farmers to create a more drought resistant harvest while also insuring that they have a variety of crops for food and income. With 70 percent of the worlds food supply coming from corn, wheat, and rice, crop diversification that emphasizes the use of indigenous crops not only helps to conserve water, it also helps produce a more sustainable harvest. Vegetables typically have shorter life cycles than other crops and typically faster growing, requiring less irrigation. Abdou Tenkouano of AVRDC –World Vegetable Center, points out in Chapter 3 of State of the Word 201: Innovations that Nourish The Planet, that indigenous vegetables adapt better to climate change because they are more drought resistant than hybrid varieties.

Indigenous Crops in Action: A number of organizations are working on innovations to help farmers take advantage of the benefits offered by indigenous vegetables. AVRDC –The World Vegetable Centre, for example, breeds indigenous vegetables to improve their quality while making them more adaptable to extreme temperature changes. Slow Food International helps producers bring their indigenous crops to market by connecting food producers with consumers. The spider plant, indigenous to Eastern Africa, is just one of many indigenous crops that show promise as farmers face the challenge of water scarcity. High in vitamins and proteins, the spider plant is high in nutritional value and can endure extreme temperatures and drought. The spider plant also grows within a few weeks of planting and requires relatively little irrigation. As the spider plant demonstrates, the economic, environmental and nutritional benefits of indigenous crops hold promise for conserving water while improving harvest

2. Find more effective ways to retain rain water: Climate remains a major factor in crop productivity and as climate change continues to strain agricultural production, it is important for farmers to find ways to use rainwater more effectively. In sub-Saharan Africa, a region where only 15-30 percent of rainfall is being productively used by crops, techniques that enhance soil fertility and water use are especially important for food security.

Water Retention in Action: In Africa’s Sahel region, a dry area covering the southern edge of the Sahara desert that stretches from Senegal’s Atlantic coast to the Ethiopian highlands, farmers are using innovative planting methods to reverse years of degradation. Beginning in the 1980’s farmers in Burkina Faso and Niger began planting their crops in zai pits. The zia pits, which are dug into the ground in rows and filled with organic material, are especially convenient because farmers can start making them during the dry season. These pits can retain water for long periods of time, while increasing soil fertility. Farmers in the Sahel also constructed stone structures that helped to capture water runoff and retain organic material in the soil. Together these innovations are helping return this once barren land into thriving farmland.

3. Advances in Irrigation Technology: Recent technological innovations are helping improve water accessibility for small-scale farms in water-scarce areas. Treadle pumps, for example, draw water from below the soil surface fueled solely by the operator’s feet. These types of pumps typically retail for US$20-100 dollars and aren’t dependent on fossil fuels. Another affordable innovation is the drip irrigation system. In contrast to the spray irrigation technique, which uses a sprinkler to water crops from above, a drip irrigation system distributes water directly to the roots at a much slower, continuous pace. Delivering water directly to the roots not only prevents evaporation and run-off, but yields healthier plants because water consumption occurs most efficiently at the root. A drip kit covering 20 square meters retails for US$5.00 allowing it to be available to thousands of small scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Irrigation in Action: Both of these water-saving innovations, and many others, were popularized and distributed through the efforts of the International Development Enterprise (IDE), an organization dedicated to improving economic opportunities in rural areas throughout Asia and Africa. In Bangladesh alone, 1.4 million treadle pumps have been sold since 1985. IDE’s success in Bangladesh inspired other organizations to re-adapt pump designs to suit conditions in Africa. Kickstart, taking into account Africa’s hilly terrain, designed a pressurized pump able to spray water uphill. Since 1997, International Development Enterprise India (IDEI), IDE’s liaison office in India, has facilitated the sale of 295,000 drip irrigation kits. Rather than inventing a silver bullet to end water scarcity, IDE and others, like Kickstart, achieve success by scaling down already available technologies to conserve water one drip at a time.

4. Reduced and Zero-Tillage: While tilling soils can certainly improve harvests in the short-term, it has a pernicious effect on soil quality, specifically water and nutrient conservation. Traditional tilling disrupts the soil structure by bringing the lower layers of soil to the surface. Once exposed, the moisture and nutrients evaporates or blows away. Reduced or zero tillage practices, on the other hand, plant seeds in drilled holes or narrow ditches. This maintains the soils natural structure because it is not repeatedly overturned by a plow or hoe. The healthy soil, filled with natural moisture and nutrients, requires less water, fertilizer, and labor to sustain more agricultural growth.

Zero-Tillage in Action: Zero tillage has been successfully practiced all over the globe. One highly successful example is soybean production in Argentina. The IFPRI’s Millions Fed: Proven Successes in Agricultural Development estimates that the use of zero-tillage in soybean cultivation led to a gain of US$4.7 billion since 1991. Easily affordable zero-tillage drills have also seen similar success in Northeastern India and eastern Africa.

5. System of Crop Intensification (SCI): A technique of planting fewer seeds in order to yield greater harvests, SCI involves transplanting young seedlings into a field with a wide amount of space between seeds. The wider spacing allows for a more mature root network to develop because there are fewer plants competing for the same soil. These stronger roots contribute to hardier plants, surpassing traditionally grown crops in size and resilience. Similar to drip-irrigation and zero-tillage, SCI recognizes the importance of strong root systems and high soil quality. Not only do fewer plants require less watering but the improved roots provide drought resistance which conserves water during the dry spells when farmers need to save every drop.

SCI in Action: The SCI technique has been successful in increasing wheat and rice harvests throughout Asia and Africa. In Mali, for example, wheat farmers increased yields by 15 to 20 percent. The advantages of SCI are even more pronounced during drought years when SCI yields can average more than 100 percent higher than conventional farms, as was the case in Bihar, India in 2010. A leading SCI researchers, Norman Uphoff, Professor of Government and International Agriculture at Cornell University and member of the Nourishing the Planet Advisory Groups, says farmers employing SCI “can get twice the yield with the same [seed] varieties, in the same soils, and in the same drought conditions.”

Derived from:http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/five-innovations-that-conserve-water-while-improving-harvests-water-conservation-soil-irrigation/

EU votes against reducing carbon emissions by 30%

2011-07-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

The European parliament on Tuesday rejected a key report that would have toughened the EU stance on greenhouse gas emissions, after political wrangling that wrecked hopes of a compromise.

A rebellion by the UK's Tory MEPs helped to swing the vote against a tougher target on how much carbon emissions should be cut by 2020, but was not decisive, according to insiders.

The vote does not put an end to green campaigners' hopes of a more ambitious emissions reduction target – a higher cut of 30% by 2020 on 1990 levels rather than 20% – as the issue will continue to be debated, but is a setback.

The political wrangling involved a series of amendments, proposed by Conservative groupings of MEPs, that would have weakened the resulting resolution to an extent that was not acceptable to the Green MEP grouping.

Greens in the parliament will now try to push for the tougher target in future votes, and through the involvement of member states and the European commission.

Nick Stern, the former Treasury economist and now chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, said of the vote result: "It's a missed opportunity and the EU risks falling behind in the economic growth story of the future."

When the vote was originally scheduled to take place, on 23 June, a survey of Tory MEPs by the Guardian found that the leader of the Conservative party in the European parliament, Martin Callanan, was advising his colleagues to vote against the higher target, and several were planning to comply. Only one of those contacted in advance of the vote said she would definitely vote for the higher target.

The revelation prompted a parliamentary question to the prime minister, who vowed that he would persuade the MEPs. But a follow-up survey by the Guardian and Friends of the Earth has found that the prime minister has failed to convince them to vote for lower carbon emissions.

At least eight MEPs out of the grouping of 23 said they would vote against the measure, while most of the remainder did not respond to emails and calls. Only two MEPs said they would definitely vote in favour, and a handful were undecided.

Several MEPs echoed Martin Callanan, who told the Guardian: "Conservative MEPs have always been sceptical of the EU unilaterally increasing its target to 30% without a worldwide agreement. I am in favour of increasing the EU target to 30%, or even higher, in the context of a global agreement where our competitor countries take similar action. Increasing our own targets while the rest of the world does nothing will have virtually no measurable effect on global emissions, because it will force large EU emitters to relocate to other countries outside the EU where they will continue to emit at a much lower cost."

"We are also concerned that the higher carbon emission costs resulting from an increased target will feed through into energy price increases for domestic consumers," he said.

Their decision was attacked by the party's Liberal Democrat coalition partners, and by green campaigners.

Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, said: "As well as snubbing David Cameron, Tory MEPs are defying the latest scientific advice and playing fast and loose with our future. Preventing the necessary action on climate change also goes against EU economic interests – scores of Europe's leading companies back a 30% cut in emissions because it will create new jobs and business opportunities.

"David Cameron came to power with an intelligent approach to tackling climate change, but he must act fast to prevent his promise to lead the greenest government ever from unravelling. The prime minister must redouble his efforts to show his entire party the enormous benefits of building a cleaner, safer future," he added.

Derived from:http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/05/tory-meps-reject-carbon-cut-law?INTCMP=SRCH

Shocked and stressed

2011-07-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

It has been more than two decades since Climate change entered into the global and national debate. When Climate change became a priority of many countries, there was hope in many poor and least developed countries, like Nepal, that world leaders would make good on their promises to create a safe environment. The progress so far is not satisfactory.

Rich and industrialized countries are responsible for meeting the costs of adaptation in developing countries, as agreed in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The debate in adaptation financing at the national level is whether to implement it under the aid umbrella or under a separate financial umbrella, as currently agreed and debated under UNFCCC. There are fundamental differences in aid money and adaptation resources. Aid money is donors’ voluntary commitment to help developing countries to develop, whereas adaptation resources are compensation from developed countries as well as the right of least developed countries.

Nepal has already submitted its National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to UNFCCC. The nine prioritized items listed as most urgent and immediate in the NAPA require at minimum 350 million USD to implement. The requirement for implementing the total NAPA is over one billion USD. As of 2010, the Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF), part of UNFCCC, has about 180 million USD in total, which is expected to reach 500 million USD by 2015. The current allocation for Nepal is around 4 million USD, if divided equally among the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Nepal might have 10 to 12 million USD in the future to implement the urgent and immediate priorities identified in the NAPA. The process of accessing these funds through LDCF requires meeting the Global Environment Facility (GEF) requirements and selecting the implementing agencies to apply for the funding. Currently, the government of Nepal is working with both UNEP and UNDP to develop a Project Information Fact Sheet. Climate Investment Funds has commitments from thirteen countries to help developing countries pilot low emission, climate resilient projects. The available resources amount to 6.1 million USD for both the Clean Technology Fund and the Strategic Climate Fund. Nepal already has multilateral funding committed, like the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR), with 50 million USD in grants and a potential 60 million USD loan from the World Bank. Resources have also been announced for Nepal though the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Programme (SREP), around 30 million USD to invest in renewable energy and low carbon development policies and pilot programmes.

The complex bureaucratic process of climate financing has opened the door for looking at bilateral funding. Although some of the donors have recently increased their bilateral commitment to Nepal, it is not clear whether this resource is additional to ODA or how it will be counted and monitored. Other direct and indirect monetary support for Climate change is largely focused on technical assistance.

Although initially identified to be one of the major recipients of global climate funding for adaptation, Nepal has only received 0.2 million USD from LDCF for preparing NAPA. The funds from bilateral agencies are under discussion but not in operation. There are large amounts of donor funds being made available to Nepal for Climate change adaptation and low carbon development. Donors and the government have different opinions on how the funds should be channelled or managed. Donors are looking for a government commitment to set up a climate financing structure as well as an entity to manage available resources and the structure. The government of Nepal is advocating for using the current channels for financing. This stalemate has delayed the financing negotiations between some major donors and the government. The lack of leadership on the part of government as well as the lack of initiation and strong advocacy from civil society is leading to an uncomfortable situation. The money available through bilateral and multilateral aid systems is almost in limbo, creating mistrust and delaying climate financing. There is also a danger of climate financing repeating the same mistakes as the other channel of funding. If this issue is not handled properly, it will lead to dilution and diversion of resources committed for Climate change. It will also put the mainstreaming agenda and the spirit of NAPA at risk.

Institutional and governmental barriers need also to be tackled in terms of climate financing. Lack of trust and coordination is one of the constraints. In climate financing, there is a rare discussion happening on the role of private, public and civil society institutions. How will vulnerable communities gain a role in the decision-making and access to funds allocated for their well being? These discussions and debates are essential in Climate change financing.

The money is for the most vulnerable and poor people living in fragile and vulnerable areas of Nepal, suffering from shocks and stresses caused by disasters brought on by Climate change. The money should be utilized properly so that they will have direct access and can benefit from the funding. The government should not delay in making bold decisions to craft climate financing architecture so that it will promote multi-stakeholder partnerships in implementing climate policy, NAPA and other priorities. Political parties, Constituent Assembly members, academics and researchers, civil society and the public need to be active, vigilant and offer support to the government so that it can to adopt flexible and innovative institutional and financing structure for bringing donors on board.

Our inaction will lead to more suffering in rural and vulnerable areas of Nepal. Climate change was on the top agenda of the government during the NAPA preparation process, so we hope Ministry of Environment and the current government will immediately take some steps to bring the deadlock to an end and initiate process of streamlining climate finance in Nepal. It is Nepal’s future, and Nepali stakeholders must take action.

Regmi is a PhD scholar in Climate change at Flinders University, Australia

bimal raj regmi egm0003@flinders.edu.au
Derived from:ekantipur.com 2011-7-6

जलवायु परिवर्तनसस्ग जुध्न छ अर्ब सहयोग

2011-07-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

काठमाडौस्, असार २१ गते । जलवायु परिवर्तनबाट पर्नसक्ने प्रभाव कम गर्न नेपाललाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सहयोग प्राप्त हुने भएको छ । उक्त सहयोग रकम करिब छ अर्ब १० करोड रुपियास् -आठ करोड ६० लाख अमेरिकी डलर) रहेको वातावरण मन्त्रालयकी सहसचिव मीना खनालले गोरखापत्रलाई जानकारी गराउनुभयो ।

सो रकममध्ये पास्च करोड अमेरिकी डलर अनुदानका रूपमा र तीन करोड ६० लाख डलर सहुलियतपूर्ण ऋण भएको सहसचिव खनालले बताउनुभयो । उक्त ऋण न्यूनतम ब्याज -सेवा शुल्क)सहित ४० वर्षमा भुक्तान गर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ ।

तर सो कोषको एउटा साझेदार विश्व बैङ्क र जलवायु लगानी कोषले शुक्रबार जारी गरेको विज्ञप्तिमा भने उक्त सहयोग करिब सात अर्ब ८१ करोड रुपियास् -११० मिलियन डलर) भएको जनाएको छ ।

विश्वका अतिकम विकसित र जलवायु परिवर्तनको जोखिममा रहेका मुलुकहरूलाई सहयोग गर्न स्थापित जलवायु परिवर्तन कोषबाट नेपाललगायत क्याम्बोडिया, मोजाम्बिक, सेन्ट लुसिया र जाम्बियालाई कुल ४४४ मिलियन डलर सहयोग उपलब्ध गराउने र उक्त सहयोगमध्ये २०७ मिलियन डलर अनुदान र बास्की २३७ मिलियन डलर न्यूनतम ब्याज -नियर-जेरो-इन्ट्रेस्ट) रहेको विश्व बैङ्कले जनाएको छ । यो कोष पास्चवटा बहुपक्षीय विकास बैङ्कको साझेदारीमा स्थापना भएको हो ।

Derived from :gorkhapatra.com.np

Low carbon society

2011-07-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

The idea of low carbon society has originated as a response to mitigate greenhouse (GHC) gases, which are considered to be responsible for global warming and climate change. It has also become the most common expressions nowadays to refer to any change in the precipitation pattern, sea level change, and so on. The basic activities of a modern day society, including production of goods and services, and transportation should have zero-carbon emissions, or have insignificant emissions to cease or at least hold back the global warming phenomenon, which has come up as one of the major challenges for modern human civilization.

Although the bulk of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) causing global warming were (and are being) produced in the developed countries, the impact will likely be felt equally or more in the developing countries like Nepal. There is a general consensus amongst the world leaders and scientist that earth’s average temperature cannot be allowed to rise by more than 2 degrees Centigrade. A failure to stay within this limit could spell catastrophe of unprecedented scale. Thus, both the developed and developing countries should consider development pathway with the 2 degree Centigrade global stabilization target.

However, in developing countries like Nepal have very low per capita emissions (as well as total emissions) ,and still need to meet basic development needs, like education, healthcare, and the like. This is a problem with the developing countries. Therefore, Nepal might not be able to afford concentrated focus on deep emission cuts development pathway, which might incur massive cost of development. Nevertheless, it should prepare to opt for one of the growing and accepted approaches to overcome development paradox that is through sustainable development (SD). The sustainable development pathway results in lower emission mitigation costs in addition to creating opportunities to realize co-benefits without compromising the original objective of enhancing economic and social development; such co-benefits include improved air (indoor, outdoor) quality and associated social cost reduction. Moreover, the cost (GDP loss) associated with low carbon development pathway (sustainable development pathway) can be compensated through international financial assistance (direct financial assistance, technological transfer or carbon trading mechanism like CDM etc.).

The sustainable development pathway is also important for the continuity of the society. Any failure to move towards sustainable system poses a severe risk to the continuity of the society system because of injustice, poverty, and long-term socio-economic volatility that ultimately leads to political instability, conflict and violence .

Therefore, it is likely in the near future that energy engineering will play a decisive role in moving towards the sustainable development pathway by bringing changes on the society, adapt to a more constricted energy consumption pattern, reduced exploitation of natural resources, growing concern over greenhouse gas emission levels, and the costs of maintaining centralized electricity supply systems. The basic acceptance of sustainable development pathway for Nepal will clearly pave a road for low carbon society (LCS) system. Moreover, the development pathway towards preparing low carbon society might prove an opportunity for developing countries as it gives an opening to decide the future of energy flow, behavioral and lifestyle change.

To meet the demand of energy requirement from limited resources and to continue the economic development along with combating large uncertainties regarding climate would be possible if the country prepares a strategy and action plan to combat the future scenario in advance.

For realizing the vision of low carbon society, a comprehensive policy instruments as well as technological options are required for implementation of the carbon mitigation measures. The national goal on energy security and environmental balance should manifest through the national energy policy that might set a target of fuel diversification or energy mix to reduce the dependence on one major fuel source, as well as bolster the objective of low carbon society. Similarly, the preparation of national energy efficiency policy and sustainable transport policy might prove to be essential steps for a nation like Nepal. But, in the lack of proper action plan we have witnessed difficulties in implementing the policy. Therefore, with reference especially to developing countries, it is highly recommended that the policy should be accompanied by a set of action plans, which will, of course, help the involved people materialize the envisioned goal. These steps are, in fact, necessary not only for a low carbon society but also for the continuity of the society system. Thus, developing countries like Nepal have both the moral obligation and the economic opportunity to boldly move forward campaigning for a low carbon society as the source of choice – for today and for the future

Written By:Lohani is Assistant Professor with KU lohanisunil@gmail.com) in ekantiupur 4 july 2011.

GM crops save billion kg of CO2 gas emissions

2011-07-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Genetically modified crops have saved around 18 billion kg of C)2 gas emissions, which is equivalent to removing 8 million cars from the road, a fact that reveals importance of the newer plant technology in mitigating climate change.

"In 2009, the combined permanent and additional saving through sequestration was equivalent to a saving of around 18 billion kg of CO2 or removing about 8 million cars from the road," ISAAA chairman Clive James said quoting Brookes and Barfoot, 2011 (a UK-based PG Economics company).

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) is a not-for-profit international organization.

Given that agriculture is a significant contributor (14%) of greenhouse gases (GHG) and therefore part of the problem in climate change, it is appropriate that biotech crops can be part of the solution, James said.

James, who is disciple of Nobel laureate and father of Mexican food revolution architect Norman Borlaug, rolled out these statistics at an international conference on GM crops at Hyderabad last week to highlight advantages of crop biotechnology.

Besides James, ICRISAT Director General William W Dar had also underlined adoption of the newer Bt plant technology by India in a big way.

The ISAAA chief said a record 15.4 million farmers in 29 countries, including India, had planted GM crops in 148 million hectares in 2010. By 2015, which also happens to be millennium development goals year, area under GM crops is expected to reach 1 billion hectare in 40 countries, he added.

Deep cuts in CO2 emissions worldwide are prescribed as the only way to prevent a future global warming catastrophe.

One of the few successes of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change in 2009 was initiative known as REDD (Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) which aimed to reduce deforestation, whereas agriculture is a cause of deforestation emitting about 14% of global GHG.

The global research alliance on agriculture greenhouse gases was established in December 2009 with America pledge of $150 billion to investigate and develop potential opportunities, which could reward farmers in poor countries for locking up carbon in their crops and soils under the aegis of clean development mechanism discussed in Copenhagen.

The ISAAA chief said biotech crops require fewer pesticide sprays which results in savings of tractor/fossil fuel and thus less CO2 emissions, he said.

Besides, herbicide tolerant biotech crops encourage zero to no-till which in turn significantly reduces the loss of soil carbon and CO2 emission, he added.

Derived from:

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/gm-crops-save-billion-kgco2-gas-emissions/140112/on

Seed bank promoting local varieties

2011-07-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

Six years ago, Chandra Kumari Paneru, 36, a farmer in Rasuwa’s Dhaibung village, sowed seeds of a hybrid rice variety in her field hoping for a better harvest than that from the low-yielding local variety.

For a couple of years, she was happy as the hybrid rice variety brought about an increase in production, compared to the local variety. “With hybrid seeds, production almost doubled,” Paneru said.

However, her joy was shortlived. Paneru found that the imported seed varieties were unable to cope with rising temperatures and inadequate rainfall and also susceptible to diseases.

Paneru is not alone in her predicament. Other farmers in the district, who had turned to imported hybrid rice varieties, are also feeling let down. Mostly, imported hybrid varieties of rice, maize, wheat and vegetables are being cultivated in the district.

“Hybrid rice, maize and wheat don’t taste as good as their local counterparts,” said Kedar Prasad Paudel, 55, a farmer in Dhaibung-8. Hybrid crops consume more water, demand more care and chemical fertilisers, ultimately depleting the fertility of soil.

Problems faced by farmers after using imported seeds made them realise that it was to have neglected the traditional local varieties which could adapt to the changing climate, excessive rain, drought and pests.

Paneru said, “A visit to three seed banks in Bardiya and Kailali districts in 2009 was an eye-opener.” After the visit, Paneru, also the secretary at the Dahibung-based Mahalaxmi Women’s Savings and Credit Cooperative, floated the idea of a community seed bank to preserve and promote local seeds. On May 24, 2010, the first community seed bank was established in Rasuwa district with support from the Langtang National Park and Buffer Zone Support Project and WWF Nepal.

According to Paneru, though the local breeds give low yield, they can adapt to climatic conditions. “If we use them in a well-planned way, for example, by introducing improved pest management, changing traditional agricultural practices and using sustainable and suitable crops, the local breeds can yield well,” she said.

Rato Andi, Pokhreli, Darmali, Sinali, Jarneli and Khumlachar are among the 19 local rice varieties while Bhunte Masini, Bhandari Makai, Sarlahi, Deuti Makai

and Murali Makai are some maize varieties collected from local farmers for storage in the seed bank, which boasts a collection of 68 varieties of rice, maize, wheat, millet and vegetables.

Demand for local seed varieties is growing among villagers. But due to limited supply, the seed bank is not able to meet the demand, Paneru said. “We aim to collect as many local varieties as possible over a decade to meet the demand.”

Posted on: ekantipur.com 2011-07-03 08:54

Rhino poaching decreases to record low in 10 years

2011-07-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

The fiscal year 2010/11 saw the lowest number of cases of rhino poaching inside Chitwan National Park (CNP) in the last one decade. The national park so far has witnessed only two poaching incidents this year compared to 11 cases in the previous fiscal year.

Conservationists attribute the progress to the combined efforts made from the centre as well as from the district level to protect the endangered one-horned rhinos.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Nepal Police and Nepal Army personnel deployed in the national park did a commendable job to bring down the poaching cases and apprehend the poachers, said Naresh Subedi of National Trust for Nature Conservation, Sauraha. CNP records show 148 rhinos were poached in the last 10 years. To stem the rampant poaching inside the protected areas, the government changed its strategy in line with the recommendations by stakeholders, said Ganesh Pant, CNP’s assistant conservation officer.

“We are working in close coordination with the local administration, forest office and security agencies under the direction of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. This partnership has helped curb poaching.”

In addition to poaching, authorities were able to arrest poachers this time, a rare success earlier. Pant said 59 people were apprehended for rhino poaching— five times more compared to the last year.

Kajiman Praja, a notorious rhino horn smuggler behind poaching of at least nine rhinos, was caught by the authorities this year. While some of them are in custody, lawsuits have been registered against the others.

Buoyed by success, conservationists say the arrest and legal action against the poachers, to a large extent, broken the strong network of poachers.

“The CIB played a great role in the arrest of the poachers and the partner organisations continued support to make our endeavour a success,” said Jagannath Singh, CNP’s acting chief.

According to the latest rhino census, there are 503 rhinos in CNP.

Posted on: ekantipur,2011-07-04 08:19

के हो कार्बन व्यापार ?

2011-07-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

पृथ्वीमा रहेका करिब १ सय ९ वटा तत्त्वमध्ये कार्बन पनि एक हो । विभिन्न जैविक पदार्थ तथा अन्य वस्तुमा विभिन्न यौगिक तथा वायुमण्डलमा कार्बनडाइअक्साइड ग्याँसका रूपमा कार्बन छ । कार्बनडाइअक्साइडले वायुमण्डलको करिब शून्य दशमलव २१ प्रतिशत अंश ओगटेको हुन्छ । यस्तै हरेक जैविक पदार्थको संरचनामा कार्बनको मुख्य अंश हुन्छ । पेट्रोलियम पदार्थ, कोइला आदि जीवांश इन्धन -फोसिल फ्युल) हरूमा पनि कार्बन हुन्छ । जैविक इन्धनहरूको दहनबाट ऊर्जा उत्पन्न हुुने क्रममा त्यहाँ रहेको कार्बन छुट्टन्िछ जुन वायुमण्डलमा रहेको अक्सिजनसँग मिलेर कार्बनडाइअक्साइड बन्छ । जैविक पदार्थहरूमा रहेको कार्बन आफैंमा हानिकारक होइन, तर जब यो कार्बनडाइअक्साइडका रूपमा वायुमण्डलमा पुग्छ यसले प्रदूषकका रूपमा काम गर्छ ।

कार्बनडाइअक्साइडको निश्चित मात्रा वनस्पतिहरूका लागि अत्यावश्यक हुन्छ र यसले कुनै प्रदूषकका रूपमा भूमिका खेल्दैन तर जब वायुमण्डलमा कार्बन डाइअक्साइडको मात्रा बढ्न थाल्छ तब यो प्रदूषकका रूपमा परिवर्तित हुन्छ । यसरी वायुमण्डलमा निश्चित मात्रा भन्दा बढी रहेको कार्बनडाइअक्साइडले हरितगृह ग्याँसका रूपमा नकारात्मक असर गर्न थाल्छ ।

विश्वमा बढ्दो औद्योगीकरणसँगै हरितगृह ग्याँस वा कार्बन डाइअक्साइड ग्याँसको उत्सर्जन पनि बढिरहेको छ । यसरी वायुमण्डलमा हरितगृह ग्याँसको मात्रा बढ्दै जाँदा विश्वको जलवायुमा नकारात्मक असर देखा पर्न थालेको छ । कार्बनडाइअक्साइड लगायतका हरितगृह ग्याँसले वायुमण्डलमा यस्तो तह बनाउँछन्, जसले पृथ्वीमा आएका सूर्यका किरणलाई पुनः वायुमण्डलमा परावर्तन हुनबाट रोक्छ, जसबाट पृथ्वीको तापक्रम बढ्छ । काँचको घर -हरितगृह) भित्र बेमौसमी बाली उत्पादनका लागि विकिरण सोस्ने र तापक्रम बढाउने जुन प्रक्रिया अपनाइन्छ त्यही प्रक्रियाबाट कार्बन डाइअक्साइड लगायतका ग्याँसले पृथ्वीको तापक्रम बढाउने भएकाले यी ग्याँसहरूलाई हरितगृह ग्याँस भनिएको हो ।

अहिले हरितगृह ग्याँसको असरका कारण विश्वको तापमान बढिरहेको छ । विश्वको तापमानमा भैरहेको निरन्तरको वृद्धि एवं जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण उत्पन्न चुनौतीहरूमा संसारका वैज्ञानिकहरूको ध्यान खिचिएको छ । जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण उत्पन्न हुने चुनौतीबाट बच्न हरितगृह ग्याँसको उत्सर्जन कम गर्ने तर्फ विश्वका नीति-निर्माताहरू एकमत छन् ।

के हो कार्बन व्यापार ?

विश्वका औद्योगिक शक्तिसम्पन्न राष्ट्रहरूले हरितगृह ग्याँस उत्सर्जनको अधिकांश हिस्सा ओगटेका छन् । त्यसकारण जलवायु परिवर्तन रोक्न तिनै औद्योगिक शक्तिसम्पन्न राष्ट्रको कार्बन उत्सर्जनमा कटौती अनिवार्य छ । सन् १९९७ मा तयार भएको र २००५ देखि लागू भएको जलवायु परिवर्तनसम्बन्धी क्योटो अभिसन्धिले विश्वको ३८ वटा औद्योगिक राष्ट्रले सन् २०१२ सम्ममा ५ दशमलव २ प्रतिशतले कमी ल्याउनुपर्ने बाध्यकारी व्यवस्था गरेको छ । क्योटो अभिसन्धिमा अमेरिकालगायतका मुख्य प्रदूषक राष्ट्रले आनाकानी गर्दै आए पनि अन्ततः त्यो सबैका लागि बाध्यकारी बनेको छ । जलवायु परिवर्तन नियन्त्रण एवं कार्बन कटौतीको मुद्दा विश्वको अर्थतन्त्रसँग जोडिएकाले पनि क्योटो अभिसन्धिको प्रावधान विवादरहित बन्न सकेन । औद्योगिक अर्थतन्त्रमा आधारित रहेका विश्वका धनी देशहरू कार्बन उत्सर्जन गर्ने नाममा उद्योगहरू बन्द गर्न वा उत्पादन कटौती गर्न किन राजी हुन्थे र ? कार्बन कटौति गर्नु धनी राष्ट्रहरूका लागि महँगो सावित हुने देखिएपछि क्योटो अभिसन्धिले कार्बनको व्यापार गर्न सकिने प्रावधानसमेत अगाडि सार्‍यो, जसअनुसार औद्योगिक देशहरूले निश्चित सीमासम्म कार्बन उत्सर्जन गर्न पाउने अधिकार किन्न सक्ने भए । त्यसका लागि उनीहरूले कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाउने राष्ट्रलाई पैसा तिर्नुपर्ने भयो ।

स्वच्छ ऊर्जाको प्रयोगद्वारा कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाउने राष्ट्र, समुदाय वा संस्थालाई बढी उत्सर्जन गर्ने राष्ट्र वा संस्थाले आर्थिक सहयोग गरी सोही परिणामको कार्बन उत्सर्जन गर्न पाउने अधिकार ग्रहण गर्न सक्छ । यसरी कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाउन महँगो पर्ने पक्षले त्यसबापतको अधिकार अर्को पक्षबाट ग्रहण गर्छ, जसलाई कार्बन उत्सर्जनमा गरिएको कटौती महँगो सावित हुँदैन । कार्बन व्यापारको मुख्य उद्देश्य विश्वको अर्थतन्त्रलाई असर नपर्ने गरी जलवायु परिवर्तन नियन्त्रण गर्नु हो । क्योटो अभिसन्धिले गरेको यस्तो व्यवस्थालाई स्वच्छ विकास संयन्त्र पनि भनिन्छ । यस्तो व्यवस्थाबाट मुख्यतः गरिब राष्ट्र लाभान्वित हुन्छन्, जसको कार्बन उत्सर्जनमा खासै भूमिका रहँदैन, तर जलवायु परिवर्तनबाट भने प्रभावित हुन्छन् ।

कार्बन व्यापार र नेपाल

विश्व कार्बन उत्सर्जनमा नेपालको हिस्सा नगण्य छ, तर पनि जलवायु परिवर्तनबाट नेपाल धेरै प्रभावित हुन थालेको छ । जलवायु परिवर्तन र विश्व ऊष्णीकरणबाट खासगरी नेपालको जलस्रोतका आधार मानिएका हिमश्रृंखलाहरूमा ठूलो असर पुगेको छ भने पर्यावरणीय असन्तुलन देखिएको छ । जलवायु परिवर्तन नियन्त्रणमा नेपालले खासै केही गर्न सक्दैन, तर जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण परेको नकारात्मक प्रभावको अप्रत्यक्ष रूपमा जरिवाना तिराउन भने सक्छ । त्यो पनि कार्बन व्यापारमार्फत । पछिल्लो समयमा कार्बन व्यापारमार्फत नेपालले केही अरब रुपैयाँ प्राप्त गरेको छ । वैकल्पिक ऊर्जा -बायो ग्याँस) को प्रयोगद्वारा कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाउन भूमिका खेलेकोमा अघिल्लो वर्ष नेपालले विश्व बैंकबाट करिब ४ करोड प्राप्त गरेको थियो । गत वर्षदेखि भने नेपालको कार्बन व्यापारको दायरा फराकिलो भएको छ । नेपालका वनजंगलसमेत विश्व कार्बन बजारमा समेटिएको छ । वनजंगलको माध्यमबाट वायुमण्डलको कार्बन घटाएको भन्दै नेपालले पाँच अर्ब रुपैयाँ प्राप्त गर्ने भएको छ । यता गोबर ग्याँस, लघु जलविद्युत, सुधारिएको घट्ट, सौर्य ऊर्जाजस्ता वैकल्पिक ऊर्जाको प्रयोगद्वारा कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाएकाले नेपालले बर्सेनि १७ करोड रुपैयाँसमेत प्राप्त गर्ने भएको छ ।

नेपालमा रहेका २० हजार गोबर ग्याँस प्लान्ट कार्बन व्यापारका लागि दर्ता भैसकेको र प्रत्येक वर्ष थप २० हजार दर्ता गरिँदै लाने वैकल्पिक ऊर्जा प्रवर्द्धन केन्द्रले जनाएको छ । यता सुधारिएको चुल्हो पनि कार्बन व्यापारमा दर्ता गरिने भएको छ । एउटा सुधारिएको चुल्होले प्रत्येक वर्ष आधा टन कार्बन उत्सर्जन्ा कम गर्छ । यसरी सुधारिएको चुल्होबाट समेत वाषिर्क ५ लाख डलर कार्बन व्यापार गर्न सकिने विज्ञहरू बताउँछन् ।

विश्वबजारमा कार्बनको मूल्य प्रतिटन १५ अमेरिकी डलर छ । यसको अर्थ एक टन कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाएबापत १५ अमेरिकी डलर प्राप्त हुन्छ । कार्बनको बढी उत्सर्जन गर्ने गरी तीव्र औद्योगिक विकास पनि हुन नसकेको र त्यो स्तरको ऊर्जा खपतको हैसियत पनि नभएकाले हामी हाम्रै ऊर्जाद्वारा विश्वको पर्यावरण सन्तुलनमा टेवा पुर्‍याउन मात्र होइन, विश्वबजारबाट फाइदासमेत लिन सक्छौं । विश्वमा बढिरहेको ऊर्जाको संकटसँगै हाम्रै देशमा पनि निरन्तरको पेट्रोलियम संकट धान्न अब वैकल्पिक ऊर्जाको खोजी अपरिहार्य बनिसकेको छ ।

Derived from:http://www.ekantipur.com/saptahik/article/?id=1406

GLOF in remote Humla

2011-07-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

Remote Humla district has once more been struck by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), affecting barley crops and pastures in the village of Halji but there are no reports of human casualties.

A Norwegian eyewitness working for the Development Fund said the lake on the terminal moraine above Halji overflowed at 4pm on Thursday and raced down the Limi Valley. The lake had last burst in July 2006, also causing widespread damage.

Nepal Police was helping with relief and 100 households have been evacuated, but experts say there may be a need for food relief for Limi Valley for the coming winter. Halji is near the Tibet border and is the location of a 1000-year-old Buddhist monastery that is also threatened by the flood.

It is not clear whether the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) was caused by the effects of climate change, heavy rains, or both.

Derived from:Nepalitimes.com July 1st, 2011

Forests as green wonders

2011-06-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

GOVINDA BHANDARI

Life on Earth is heavily dependent on the forest cover all around the planet. Besides the fact that these green wonders make the planet extremely good to look at, they also have a great many features that are performed by them, most of them which are pivotal to our growth, survival and sustenance. From the point of view of human life, they are very important as they provide a large array of resources that we use in our everyday life.

Forests play the role of reducing the amount of water that comes across as run-off from the land surface. In lands where there is little or no forest cover, there is increased incidence of erosion of the soil and also increased probability of flash floods. Forests aid in the production of prolonged gradual run-off and are a good warranty against drought, and drought-like conditions.Through the process of evaporation and transpiration, the trees from the forest help in the process of absorbing heat from the sun. Forests are pivotal to the maintenance of levels of carbon dioxide and so, are necessary for the growth of lesser plants. Climate change is a problem that is being faced all over the place. This is a problem seen at a growing variance in places where the forest cover is lesser. This proves that forests play an important role in preventing drastic climate change happening instantaneously.

Forests are known to make the soil of a particular piece of land, much stronger, especially when the roots of the place go deep into the soil. They are especially necessary as they help the water to absorb into the soil rather than it being washed away. This is how the fertility of the soil improves to a greater extent.

Forests are the reasons why the soil is capable of being intact and also developing new nutrients. They also help in the structuring of the soil. In this way, the soil’s natural capacity is maintained and without the help of external chemical features, the soil gets all its needs.Those living in regions close to the forests depend on a large scale on supplies that they can be procured from the forests. They are a necessary part of their live, becoming almost intrinsic to their growth. Locals also depend, in large part on forests, as most of the produce that they get is from the forest itself.

The forest is the major source of food and subsistence for those who live in forest areas and in villages adjoining the forests. Most of their food is procured from the local plants, fishing activity in ponds and lakes, and also by hunting activity that is carried out in these regions. However, in the present day, a large number of forests areas are protected areas where hunting is a banned activity in most areas.

However, in regions where tribes of people are dependent on hunting for their source of food and hence, life, hunting is still allowed in restricted amount in demarcated areas. The forest area is also the region where the people from tribal regions and villages bring their animals for grazing or in order to collect fodder as feed.

Villagers and people belonging to different tribes use wood and charcoal in order to gain heat and energy for all their different uses like cooking, cleaning etc. Logs of wood are burned throughout the night so that they provide heat to those residing in colder regions. People do not necessarily have to chop trees for wood, as forests are aplenty with sticks and twigs that fall from trees.

Most of the people living in forest areas and villages surrounding them do not have houses made of brick and cement, but have houses that are built out of supplies that come from the forests like logs of wood, bamboo, etc. Local people collect timber from forests for household articles. These people have various uses for timber in their day to day life too. They make a number of articles from them.One of the best sources for fiber is the forest itself.

Fiber is that material, which is necessary for weaving baskets, nets, ropes, string, and other articles of everyday life. Forests are also the region where agriculture or the production of silk through silkworms take place. Forests are also the places where the controlled breeding of honeybees for honey takes place. These bees are also important for the pollination of crops.

Forests are also known to be the source of plants that are used for medicinal purposes. There are a vast number of plants and herbs that are found in the forests, and we are always finding new species of plants that could possibly be the source of cure for ailments that do not have one yet.All of the products that have been mentioned earlier are also, in many regions traded and exported to other regions generating income and leading to development.Even small products like wood, gum, fruit and fiber have big uses in the bigger markets. These products are found extensively in forests and heavily wooded areas. The collection of these substances leads to the emancipation of many people from the region. Besides, products like wood for paper pulp are indeed so essential that they are a major source of livelihood for a great number of people.

govindabhandari84@yahoo.com

From himalyantimes.com

Forest communities in Nepal grappling with climate change

2011-06-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

DHULIKHEL (NEPAL): Communities that manage the forests in Nepal are grappling with the vagaries of erratic rainfall, drought and depleting water for drinking and agriculture.

The rainfall pattern has changed in intensity and quality as a result of which production of paddy is decreasing, says Eak B. Rana, project coordinator, REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries) Ecosystem Services at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu.

While the people have adapted in some ways to the changing rainfall pattern and lack of water, migration has increased. An ICIMOD study on community perceptions and responses to climate change impacts in Nepal, India and Bhutan points to increased migration, though not due to climate change alone. The study says income generation options are inadequate in Nepal, apart from poor social capital and support systems, leading to labour migration.

Interestingly, it was the people's movement to regenerate forests since 1972 that led to them eventually managing the green areas. In 1988, community-based forest management groups were formally approved, with the Kavre and Sindhupalchowk districts being the pioneers. There are now 16,000-20,000 community-managed forests in Nepal, covering 25 per cent or 1.2 million hectares of the country's forest land, Mr. Rana says.

Communities also earn revenue by selling non-timber forest produce (NTFP).

Rejuvenating the land

A little ahead of Dhulikhel in Kavre district is the Gaurkhureshwor community forest area, spread over 24 hectares. Badri Prasad Jangam, chairperson of the group — which has been managing the forest for 19 years — says this was a bare region earlier, but the community living nearby decided to rejuvenate it by planting trees.

The first area to be managed by the community, the region now is a lush forest with a variety of wild animals, including leopards.

The 60 houses in the village get their fuelwood requirements and the water streams have been recharged in the area. The community grows cardamom and broom grass as cash crops. In addition, the forest gets tourists who are charged from Rs.500 upwards for a visit. The area has local varieties of trees, including rhododendrons and is also known for its orchids.

Saryu Jangam, one of the four women on the nine-member forest management committee, says the earnings are used to train women in tailoring, conservation and in using improved cooking stoves. A guard has also been hired to patrol the forests at Rs.2,000 a month. The community forest is held up as a model and anyone caught felling trees is punished with a fine.

Depleting water sources

However, things are not so happy further ahead in Panchakhal, which is part of the Ratomate community forest area spread over 108.12 hectares. There has been a drought for six years in the area. Khilbahadur Nuitel points to a natural water source that trickled to a stop four years ago; this water had been enough for the entire village. A well that was dug nearby dried up a year ago.

The people blame the extensive pine forests — which were planted in the 1970s to regenerate degraded forests as part of an Australian project — for the depleting water table. Mr. Rana, however, says the pine forests are not the only reason: in fact, there is no research or scientific study to show that pine trees have a high evapo-transpiration rate. He says the streams and water sources in many parts of Nepal are drying up due to prolonged drought and climate change.

In Panchakhal, Mr. Nuitel says, it now rains in May though traditionally rainfall occurred during June-September. With help from an NGO, the village has dug a 250-foot borewell and pumps water to a tank. Villagers get 80 litres a day for their use, but the 11-hour load shedding does not help. Most families use biogas to reduce dependence on forests.

Jamuna picks up her aluminium cans to trudge uphill to fetch water from the tank. “I spend an hour each in the morning and evening bringing water,” she says. The people are planning to plant broad-leaved species of trees to mitigate the effect of the pines.

Ironically, Panchakhal used to be called ‘Mudepani,' which means enough water. It was also noted for its banana crop.

Mr. Rana explains that Nepal still does not have a concrete framework in terms of a policy under REDD, but is part of two programmes: the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, and the United Nations REDD Programme. The country has gotten $200,000 for a readiness preparation proposal and an additional $3.5 million from the World Bank to work on six different components related to REDD.

To adapt to the changing scenario, ICIMOD has set up a demonstration centre in the Jhikhu Khola watershed at Lamdihi village, where Saraswoti Bhetwal shows other farmers the techniques of roof-water harvesting, making farm ponds, drip irrigation, composting and terracing. From growing one maize crop a year, she now harvests rice, potato and vegetables thrice a year. Last year, she says, the rain was scanty and the roof-water lasted only for five months. But now the people come to learn from her.

Derived from:The Hindu Newspaper
May 26 2011

Nepal receives $95,000 from forest carbon trust fund

2011-06-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

REPUBLICA KATHMANDU, June 15: Three watersheds in Dolakha, Gorkha and Chitwan districts on Wednesday received a total sum of $95,000 under the first-ever Forest Carbon Trust Fund (FCTF) in Nepal. Charnawati watershed in Dolakha received $45,535, while Ludikhola watershed in Gorkha received $27,560 and Kayarkhola watershed in Chitwan received $21,905. The FCTF piloted in the three watersheds has been implemented in a project on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus (REDD+), International Centre for Integration Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said in a statement. The project focuses on sequestering carbon through community-based forest management. The project financed by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) covers over 10,000 hectares of community managed forest and has an outreach to cover 16,000 households with over 89,000 forest dependent people, the statement said. According to ICIMOD, it is one of the world´s first carbon offset projects involving local communities in monitoring carbon in their forests and providing necessary training for them. Norad has provided a seed grant of $100,000 to initiate the fund. The project is being implemented by ICIMOD, and its partners -- the Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN) and the Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio-resources (ANSAB).

Published on 2011-06-15 22:12:48

Encroachment of community forests rife

2011-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Around 85.062 hectares of land has been encroached in three community forests in Surkhet district.

A team of political party representatives that reached the area to inspect the situation of the forests on Saturday said encroachment is rampant in the eastern area of the district.

Chairman of Deutibajai Community Forest Users’ Committee Shivaram Bali said 85 households have encroached on 81 hectares of forestland at Kalyan VDC-5. He blamed political protection for the increasing encroachment.

Meanwhile, around 4.06 hectares of land belonging to Khandevi Community Forest at Satakhani VDC-7 has been encroached. Though the forest committee asked the encroachers to vacate the land six months ago, they are yet to do so. Chairman of Khandevi Forest Users’ Committee Tikaram Chhantel said efforts are under way to evict them forcefully.

The visiting team held a discussion about the situation of the forests in the area. Consumers complained about deforestation with them. Dilmati Gurung said that lack of active participation of the members of forest users’ committee has fuelled encroachment.

“How can encroachment be stopped if the committee does not work properly. Deforestation at Kuhire is still on,” she said.

District Forest Officer Sri Prasad Baral said consumers should be aware of forest conservation. He suggested that consumers plant medicinal herbs such as sanjeevani (Selaginella bryopteris) to control encroachment.

Derived from ekantipur june 10 2011.

World Environment Day 2011 Celebration

2011-06-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

World Environment Day 2011 had been celebrated in Dhulikhel,Kavre district of Nepal with various program. 14 organizations(IED Nepal,CDRA Banepa,District development council,District Administration Office,Dhulikhel Municipalities,Dhulikhel Drinking Water Committee,District Drinking Water and Sanitation Office, Dhulikhel Rotary,Dhulikhel Chamber Of Commerce,NETIFF,DETIFF,ARSOW Nepal,Dhulikhel Jaycees) from kavre district had jointly celebrated the World Environment Day 2011.

The details of program were:

School Level Art Competition.
Plantation program.
Rally.
No horn zone establishment.
Interaction program.

The program was initiated by IED Nepal and organized under District Development Committee Kavre . The secretariat of this program was Dhulikhel Chamber Of Commerce.

Climate change issue on the backburner

2011-06-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

The process of ratifying the Montreal Amendment (1997), a global effort to protect the ozone layer, has failed to gain momentum, thanks to the political instability and the factors concomitant with it.

Nepal is the only country in Asia that has not ratified the amended protocol yet.

The Montreal Protocol came into effect in 1987 as the first international effort to protect the ozone that includes the phase out of chemicals, (CFCs, greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air-conditioning) by temporarily replacing with another chemical named HCFCs (hydro chlorofluorocarbon). The ozone layer filters out harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun protecting the life on earth. Nepal was one of 188 countries to sign the protocol in 1994. Nepal falls in the category of 'Article 5 countries' with less than 0.3 kg per-capita consumption of CFC per year. It is mandatory for the countries under this category to declare themselves CFC-free by 2010.

However, the scientists discovered that HCFC is 2,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a green house gas and stressed the need to phase out HCFCs used in refrigeration and air-conditioning in the developing countries. To comply with the decision to phase out harmful chemicals in the developing countries, Montreal Amendment came into effect in 1997

Babu Kaji Baniya, under-secretary at the Ministry of Environment, said the ministry forwarded the amended draft and other essential documents to the parliament for final approval two months ago. "However, the government has failed to prioritise the ratification process due to the existing political impasse," he said.

He said that though the ratification process of Montreal Amendment has not taken pace, the country is committed to banning the import and use of HCFCs. It may be noted that Nepal was awarded 'The Montreal Protocol Implementers Award' for the year 2007 for its extraordinary contribution to the implementation of Montreal Protocol and global efforts to protect the ozone layer.

Ozone layer depletion, one of the serious environmental issues, has increased the incidence of skin diseases, cancer and cataracts. According to experts, the continued emission of harmful refrigerants and air-conditioning gases is also a major factor behind climate change.

Derived from:ekantipur.com,2011-06-05 05:23

Drive against climate change

2011-04-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

In an effort to highlight the impact of global climate change on the Himalayas, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) jointly organised the Green Hiker Green Planet campaign from April 18-21.

The campaign, which included a trek in the Langtang region, aimed at increasing awareness and spurring joint action on climate change advocacy and preparedness.

According to a press statement issued on Friday by USAID and WWF, the campaign was part of the 60th and 50th anniversary commemorations of USAID-Nepal and WWF, respectively.

“The team observed the first-hand impact of climate change on Nepali communities, saw

community initiatives to adapt to climate change, and discussed key conservation challenges and achievements,” read the statement.

“We believe we should look more closely and widely for opportunities to collaborate on climate solutions in Nepal,” said Kevin A. Rushing, mission director of USAID-Nepal, in the statement. “The campaign was a great opportunity to discuss how we can all work together as partners to address climate change and its effects.”

Anil Manandhar, country representative of WWF Nepal, said WWF was proud to share this platform with USAID in bringing to light climate change impacts at the local level.

A team of 20 trekkers including representatives from USAID, WWF, the government, civil

society, and media participated in the event.

Derived from:ekantipur.com

View from outside: An earthquake could hit Kathmandu

2011-04-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

There is no denying it, natural disasters are on the increase. The past 18 months has seen devastating earthquakes in Haiti, New Zealand and Japan, floods in Pakistan, and numerous less reported events. Last year, 110 million more people were affected by disasters than in 2004 - the year of the Boxing Day tsunami.

We need to be prepared for these future shocks. It is difficult to know precisely where the next disaster will strike, but there are countries and cities that must be on a higher state of alert. One of these is Nepal, and in particular its capital, Kathmandu.

My first overseas visit as minister for international development was to Nepal, the poorest country in Asia. There is good reason to believe the country is on the brink of a major disaster—one with potentially cataclysmic results.

First, the country is a highly seismic region, lying between the collision of Indian and Eurasian plates. It has a major earthquake roughly every 70 years - it’s been nearly 80 years since the last one. Second, its lack of development and its deep-rooted poverty leave it underprepared and extremely vulnerable.

Kathmandu has experienced massive, poorly controlled urbanisation in the last few years and now has a population of around 5 million. Its building standards are nonexistent, so millions of people could be buried in a city-wide pile of rubble. Access routes would be blocked. The airport could be disabled. The international community would face a massive humanitarian crisis, and there would be no way to get help through.

A survey by the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project suggests around 40,000 would die, with 100,000 injured, plus tens of thousands left homeless. This could be a conservative estimate. Confronted with the growing base of evidence, we should be asking ourselves what we can do to reduce this risk.

Disaster preparedness in Kathmandu is poor. The Nepalese government’s capacity and investment in disaster management remains low, hamstrung by bureaucracy and political stasis. There is a serious lack of investment in critical infrastructure like schools and hospitals. Nepal’s disaster strategy sits in the constituent assembly awaiting approval, along with a logjam of hundreds of other acts and bills.

What Nepal needs is a detailed, co-ordinated action plan that is ready to work now. Heavy equipment must be prepositioned at the airport to repair any damage to the runway. Command and control mechanisms must be put in place so that good communications can remain intact to direct the urgent rescue work that would be needed. And each international partner must know exactly what action to take when disaster strikes.

Action is being taken. The UN recently set up a Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium, which presents a major opportunity to spur the government and the international community into action. The UK is a member of the consortium, and we will be putting substantial technical and financial resources—£20m ($30m) over the next four years—behind this initiative. But this will not be enough by itself.

Shortly after taking office, the coalition government asked Lord Ashdown to carry out a review of the UK’s humanitarian and emergency response practices to look at how we can ensure we remain world leaders in this area. The report, published last month, contains many recommendations that will inform our thinking on the future of UK disaster response work. Ashdown’s Humanitarian Emergency Response Review offers a number of suggestions for what we could be doing now to prepare more effectively for a major disaster in Nepal, through the consortium.

First, anticipation and a stronger focus on preparing for disasters. Nepal’s government, with support from the international community, needs to focus on the earthquake threat and plan for it. We must bring Nepal’s powerful neighbours, India and China, in to play an active role in response planning.

It is basic good sense that countries such as Nepal, with a high vulnerability to disasters, learn how to improve their ability to deal with crises. This is about building houses, schools and hospitals that can withstand earthquakes, floods and landslides. But it’s also about investing in the government’s ability to respond; creating disaster management plans; and educating people about disaster risks. The consortium will only work with leadership from Kathmandu.

There is growing evidence that building community resilience to shocks is more cost effective than humanitarian response. Evidence shows that for every $1 spent on prevention, $4 less needs to be spent on the response. We will push other donors to invest in Nepal’s earthquake risk reduction.

Finally, Ashdown’s review makes clear that we must work with existing partners but also develop partnerships with charities, NGOs, the private sector and faith groups.

But this is not just an issue for Britain. Recent disasters have seen dozens of countries step in to help others in their hour of need. We need to act with the same unity in preparing for these shocks in advance to make sure we do all we can to avert and minimise the damage a natural disaster can cause.

I am currently in Washington at a forum on disaster risk reduction in Asia, and there is real consensus on the need to learn from recent disasters. The real challenge will lie in maintaining the momentum once the spotlight has moved off of the issue. But I am absolutely clear that this is a risk we cannot ignore and so we must not let it fall into the shadows.

Duncan is UK’s Minister of State for International Development

(The article was published in Guardian online on April 15)

Endangered rhinos: Rhino count process kicks off

2011-04-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

A nationwide census of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros began from the Bhalu Khola inside Chitwan National Park (CNP), a major rhino habitat, from Tuesday.

The latest rhino count in the country was conducted in 2008 that put its total population at 435 with 408 in CNP alone. Other two rhino reserves- Bardiya National Park (BNP) and Sukhlaphanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR)- recorded the population of 22 and 5 respectively in the same count.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, with the technical and financial support from the National Trust for Nature Conservation and WWF-Nepal, initiated the three-week-long count to update the rhino population. Besides CNP, the count will be carried out simultaneously in BNP and SWR.

According to Shanta Raj Jnawali, the programme director at NTNC, a team of technical experts, scientists and dozens of elephants are used for the count inside CNP that is divided into 19 blocks. “The new technologies like Global Positioning System (GPS) and camera trapping will be used for the study,” he said.

The observers used for the count are provided training in topics like ageing rhino, sexing rhino, use of rhino data recording booklet, use of binoculars, use of GPS receiver, use of digital camera and use of radio handsets. Altogether 50 elephants and around 170 people on a daily basis are used for the count inside CNP.

According to the director general of Wildlife Conservation Department, Krishna Acharya, besides updating on the rhino population, the count will study the status of habitats, invasive species and poaching. For the first time, the count will focus on the status of male and female rhinos separately along with the condition of baby rhinos and impact of human pressure inside the rhino habitats,” he said.

Acharya said that poaching, habitat degradation and invasion by omnipresent plant species like Mikenia macarantha (commonly known as miles a minute) are the major challenges for the conservation of rhinos in the country.

Since 2008, 28 rhinos were killed by the poachers, while 32 died natural deaths inside CNP in the last four years, according to Ganesh Pant, assistant chief conservation officer of CNP.

According to Jnawali, the study on impact of invasive plant species namely Mikenia macarantha, Lantana camera and Chromolina on natural rhino habitats will help them come up with long-term strategies to control the impact.

The first rhino census was conducted in 1994 inside CNP that recorded the total population of rhinos at 440. The second, third and fourth rhino census carried out in 2000, 2005 and 2008 put the number at 612, 372 and 435 respectively.

Derived From :ekantipur.com
Posted on: 2011-04-06 08:49

Amendment to Forest Act on the anvil

2011-03-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Revising the earlier government’s move to amend Forest Act-1993, the present UML-Maoist coalition has agreed to ensure local people’s rights to natural resources, including forests.

The decision is against the recommendation of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) that had suggested for review of the rights vested by the Act in the local people. The ministry observed that the country last year recorded the worst deforestation in three decades in the lack of transparency in the sale and distribution of forest products in the forests managed by the local communities. The Ministry of Law is studying the Act before it is tabled in the parliament for endorsement.

Yagya Dahal, joint secretary at MoFSC, said the amendment proposal was sent earlier to the law ministry.

The proposed amendment includes provisions of benefit sharing and increase in tax (from 15 to 50 percent) levied in the sale of forest products in the community-managed forests.

The communities will have to pay more tax while selling forest products to the government if the Act is amended.

Apsara Chapagain, chairperson of the Federation of Community Forests Users’ Nepal, said, “The earlier government tried to curtail the rights of the locals who have successfully managed forests

for more than two decades.” Meanwhile, thousands of community forest users’ groups have been organising protest programmes against the decision to amend the Act.

According to an MoFSC source, the proposed amendment will come into effect after the parliament endorses it. “Paper work to revise the Act is almost complete,” the source said.

However, a meeting of the three major political parties-UCPN (Maoist), CPN-UML and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) that signed a power-sharing deal on Wednesday-have decided to make arrangements for the conservation and utilisation of forest resources across the country.

In the deal, the three parties have agreed to “prevent the Tarai and Madhes region from turning into a desert as a result of rampant deforestation”.

Meanwhile, the ruling coalition has said its decision to check the export of sand and grit was meant to minimise the export of the country’s natural resources and to control erosion in thee Chure region. The latest agreement among the parties also objects to the rampant export of sand, boulders and grit to India.

Derived from ekantipur.com 27 march

Forest fire rages on

2011-03-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

A raging fire that has engulfed over one and a half dozen community forests in Udayapur district for the past a week, has not come under control yet.

The blaze has engulfed Chapan, Chapanmahila, Asari, Babari, Nawaudaya, Saraswati, Hokse community forests in Triyuga Municipality. Locals said that they are finding it hard to douse the fire. It has engulfed Kuntimai, Hariyali, Sarbodaya also among other community forests at Hadiya VDC. According to the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, around 1,000 hectares of the forests have been destroyed in the fire.

District Forest Office Ranger Lal Bahadur Yadav said a huge amount of herbs and large number of wildlife are destroyed by fires every year.

Since the last two days, a district-level campaign is on to control the fire. Yadav said the campaign is led by Assistant Forest Officer Gopal Bhattarai.

Derived from ekantipur.com 26 march

80 pc groundwater unpotable

2011-03-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

More than 80 percent of groundwater used for drinking contains bacteria and other harmful microbes, according to National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) officials.

NAST officials say the level of bacteria was counted in 300 colonies by forming units (CFUs) while testing groundwater in Kathmandu Valley.

CFU is a method of counting bacteria in water and it must be at zero level for safe drinking.

The report stated that 46 percent iron, 38 percent ammonia, 34 percent turbidity and one percent nitrate was found in drinking water. It showed 0.2 percent arsenic among all examined water samples taken in the fiscal year 2009-10. Arsenic above 0.05 mg per litre is harmful to health.

According to public health officer Bishwa Raj Shrestha, water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and jaundice are noticed as the most common diseases in the valley and the detection of cholera by Teku Hospital last summer also confirms that people here are at risk.

A study conducted by JICA to assess the overall water quality and identify major variables affecting deep groundwater quality in Kathmandu Valley in 2007 showed that most of the samples exceeded the WHO safety levels for drinking water.

Derived From:ekantipur.com 23 march

Nat’l water week trickles to a stop

2011-03-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

National water week concluded on Wednesday amid various awareness programmes across the country.

In a programme on Wednesday to mark the end of the week-long nationwide programme organised since 2008, Secretary of Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Shyam Prasad Mainali stressed the need for concrete actions for the proper management of water.

During the water week that started March 17, different programmes focusing on four main areas—developing awareness on freshwater, advocacy on water, investigation and study on water and capacity building—were organised by the Water and Energy Commission in coordination with more than 45 NGOs.

According to Ravi Sharma Aryal, spokesman for the national water week organising committee 2011, the main objectives of this year's water week were intensifying discussions on sustainable management of water supply and sources of water in urban areas of the country and to alert the authorities concerned about sustainable management of water.

Derived from ekantipur.com.

Walk For Water

2011-03-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

On the occasion of World Water Day 2011,Integrated Effort For Development Nepal had organized the rally in Banepa "Walk For Water".The theme of this rally is create awareness on general public about conservation of water resources and wise use of water.The rally had roamed whole Banepa town.Around 90 people from different organization and general public especially the youth were participated.

For more detail,visit our website:http://www.iednepal.org.np

The misery of fewaTo think of Pokhara without thinking about Fewa Lake is almost a sacrilege. Known as the ‘lake-city’, Pokhara thrives because of the

2011-03-06T18:53:00.000-08:00

To think of Pokhara without thinking about Fewa Lake is almost a sacrilege. Known as the ‘lake-city’, Pokhara thrives because of the tourism the lake attracts. Every morning, one can see boatloads of people rowing across to the Barahi temple in the middle of the lake, and if one is lucky, maybe a reflection of the famous Machhapuchhre and Annapurna peaks in the waters.

But of late, the lake is suffering. Deluged by sewage and garbage, and now unabated human encroachment upon the lake’s shores, it is increasingly being polluted. And no one seems to care. We’ve declared 2011 to be Visit Nepal Year, but we haven’t done anything to ensure Fewa remains the pristine body of water it once was. Instead, we remain apathetic.

Increasing human settlements around the lake are the main sources from which sewage and garbage is dumped in the lake. Without any regulation or crackdown, plastic wrappers of all kinds float on the surface, while pipes dump visibly-polluted water into it. As a result, the lake has begun to stink.

The tourism industry around the lake has always pumped water from the lake. Now, rising number of hotels means the water level is also decreasing, while polluted water is pumped out. Without any proper regulation, the lake is now a place where buffaloes bathe, locals wash their clothes, and pesticides used by farmers seep in to the water.

Locals and tourism entrepreneurs are worried. But there hasn’t been any solid effort, despite all the hoopla around Tourism Year. Instead, the pollution continues. And Fewa continues to suffer.

Adapting Agriculture To Climate Change

2011-02-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

After the Cancun climate change meet late last year, the world is standing by next framework convention in Durban to forge consensus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Meanwhile, Kyoto Protocol, the landmark climate negotiation, is approaching expiry. Amidst success of Cancun to address adaptation coherently and in establishing Green Climate Fund to provide financial support of US$ 100 billion annually for mitigation and adaptation in developing and least developed countries, ways and priorities to finance adaptation are still contentious within many countries. Necessity of adaptation is unambiguous and pragmatic. Adapting agriculture to climate change should be one of the priorities for agrarian economies like Nepal.

Agriculture in Nepal is still subsistence and traditional in nature which makes the sector highly vulnerable to effects of climate change. Climate catastrophes like erratic rainfall, flash floods, and droughts can result in a sharp decline in crop yield, according to a recent study (ADB, 2009). Some early indications like shifts in rainfall pattern, unusual snow, delayed or early maturity, increase in pest and disease, species extinction, and invasion of new species are being observed in various parts of the country. Livestock production is being affected through the disruption in feedstock production and outbreak of communicable diseases. Adaptation is crucial and necessitates a close link with mainstreaming of risk factors. Policies linked with risk factors ought to be dynamic.

Climate change models and projections are often aligned to bigger spatial and temporal scales. Robust, easy and localized models increase benefits of adaptation. Climate models and vulnerability maps are inadequately developed for local levels in Nepal. Projection of effect of climate change are often made across multiple general circulation models (GCMs) and run with IPCC scenarios for larger scale. Ironically, projections from such models are generalized for local levels which can overestimate or underestimate vulnerability to climate change. Consequently, it results in ineffective adaptation. However, larger scale projections have implications when models are unavailable for local levels.

There is limited insurance available against disaster to facilitate disaster risk management in Nepal. Some insurance available includes community based adaptation schemes against livestock or certain cash crops. Adapting agriculture to climate change requires development of low cost technologies that promote comprehensive risk management and sustainable development. Cropping system needs to be adjusted with the changing climate pattern. Changes in sowing dates of crops are pivotal so that the phonological changes in plant go in accordance with changing climate.

Climate change will have an impact on irrigation. Under changing precipitation trend, drip irrigation is an efficient technique of water utilization; it saves water, prevents disease outbreak and, when combined with fertilizer (fertigation), increases water and nutrient use efficiency and nutrients absorption by crops. Water harvesting is crucial to facilitate water availability to households in rural and urban areas. National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) and other agri-organizations ought to emphasize pest resistant and drought tolerant cultivars with genetic modification. With more of organic farming and rational use of pesticide and fertilizers, land can be exploited for quality and quantity of produce. An integration of agriculture with forest, agro-forestry, can be effective to mobilize local capacities in relation to climate regulation. This practice leads to the emergence of micro-climates, which will enable farmers to adapt to even regional changes. Besides, benefits to agriculture are noteworthy.

At this juncture, strategies should be explored in development of crop protection tools and climate models for the local level based on temperature, precipitation, and frequency and intensity of extreme events. The next step includes the manipulation of results from such models to shape agricultural production pattern. Such tools assist farmers whilst deciding what to grow; this is particularly important for perennial production. Mobilization of JTAs and extension workers with the collaboration of stakeholders and build-up of an alliance is indispensible to enhance farmer’s understanding on the matter and pursue accordingly.

For a country like Nepal, climate change represents just another group of challenges amongst the many that we are already facing on a daily basis. A move away from short-term to long and integrated polices is required primarily because climate change is not occurring within a vacuum. Besides population growth, rapid urbanization, changes in food consumption patterns, competition for land (real estate), water (agriculture, energy, industries and human consumption) and other natural resources, the socio-political environment also needs to be considered when determining the future of local-level agricultural production patterns.

It is indeed necessary to formulate an integrated action plan for agricultural development in which adaptation strategies are embedded within the local spatial planning in consideration of economic, social and political context.

Derived from:Rising Nepal

The coming crisis

2011-02-27T09:23:00.000-08:00

Less than three years after the 2008 food crisis, the world is again witnessing another one. The causes of the food crisis in 2008 and the current crisis are different, but interrelated. The conversion of food into bio-fuels, increased use of grain as livestock feed, and speculative hoarding of food grains were some of the causes of the 2008 crisis. The recent crisis is more due to disturbances in weather conditions that have resulted in natural disasters and devastated crops. In 2010/11, the world faced unprecedented natural hazards like flooding in Pakistan, heat waves and forest fires in Russia, and floods, cyclones and forest fires in Australia. The flood in Australia was of such a scale that it was beyond the imagination of not only ordinary citizens but also authorities who should have been better prepared. The floods in Pakistan adversely affected millions of people, as did the heat waves and forest fires in Russia. Scientists have argued that these extreme weather conditions are a result of climate change. Though all changes in weather patterns are not inextricably linked to climate change, the present trend of extreme events seems to be a direct result of a changing global climate. As measures to mitigate and adapt to global warming have been slack, it is almost certain that these adverse conditions will only get worse in the future.

These adverse weather conditions and natural disasters have greatly contributed to the growing global food crisis, which is also underpinning recent political movements, especially those in Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab countries. Low production and destruction of fertile ground due to natural disasters has led to a striking rise in food prices in the global food market. In January this year, wheat prices almost doubled, and the prices of other commodities, including other food grains, sugar and oil, have also increased rapidly. The heat wave and forest fires in Russia and damage to crops in Australia drastically reduced wheat production in 2010. As a result, just two months into 2011, food prices are already soaring.

But the rise in prices is not solely linked to production loss due to natural disasters. It has also been caused by an increase in the prices of commodities and goods used throughout the food production process. For example, various minerals and chemicals used to make fertilisers and other inputs are becoming pricier due to dwindling reserves. The tipping point for many of these minerals and chemicals are nearing, and their reserves may soon be depleted. In addition, the type of farming that relies heavily upon chemicals and fertilisers is also a cause of climate change as it produces harmful greenhouse gases. Thus a link can be established between present farming technologies and climate change.

Soaring food prices and a lack of basic food items have disproportionate impacts on the middle class and the poor. For those already on a tight budget, any increase in food prices leaves little money for investment in healthcare, education and housing. On the other hand, the high and rising income in developed countries and in some of the emerging industrial countries like China mean that the food price rise may not affect their food consumption pattern. In such counties, a large proportion of food grains will continue to be converted to animal feed for the production of meat, causing food shortages in poorer countries.

One destructive consequence of the present food crisis is its potential to cause subsequent political crises. The protests in Tunisia and Egypt may appear to be primarily motivated by resentment towards the dictatorial political system. But a careful look at the grassroots level revels that the hardships caused by a rise in food prices and low income fuelled the uprisings. Take the case of Egypt. The benefits of overall economic growth resulting from economic privatisation and liberalisation in the 1990s were concentrated in the upper 20 percent of the population. The majority of the population who did not benefit from economic growth could not come to terms with the highly

inflated food prices. The government’s food subsidies were not enough in the face of rapid cuts in real income and rising prices. If the root causes of the present protests are not addressed on time and greater political freedom not granted, the entire region could face severe political instability.

Nepal is a hotspot for climate change. Economic growth and food production have not been impressive in the last 20 years. A decline in domestic food production coupled with growing dependence on other countries could be fatal in the wake of increasingly common adverse weather conditions. A food crisis in Nepal may be inevitable if the present trend continues. Until now, food production deficits at the national level have been mitigated through imports, thanks to the open Indo-Nepal border and the good wishes of donor countries. The purchasing power of most low-income and middle-class households has been maintained through remittances. How long will the remittances be able to avert a serious crisis is the real question. With an absence of food in the market as well as in the household, money alone will not be enough to solve the food crisis. There is enough evidence that such crises will lead to political unrest, instability and civil war. Nepal needs to heed these warnings and undertake serious efforts to channel remittances and other funds for internal economic growth and food production.

Derived from:http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2011/02/26/oped/the-coming-crisis/218868.html