climate change impact, adaptation practices and … change impact, adaptation practices and policies...

Climate Change Impact, Adaptation Practices and Policies in Nepal

Krishna R Tiwari, Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University

Pokhara Nepal

9/29/2012 1 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

Climate Change & Dev. Policy Conference UNU- WIDER, 28- 29 Sept 2012, Helsinki

• Climate Change (CC) situation in Nepal • Methodology • Result and Discussion

Impact on – Agriculture – Water resources

• Adaptation practices • Nepal CC Policies in practice

– Policy gap – Challenges

• Way forward 9/29/2012 2 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

Outline

9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 3

CC situation in Nepal • Nepal the 4th most vulnerable country Attributable to

• High exposure: Temperature increasing trend 0.060C /Yr in High mountain to globally (0.02 0C) • High sensitivity

Young geology/steep slopes • Low adaptive capacity

Extreme poverty/difficult access • Although, GHG emission is negligible (0.025%) but

tremendous negative impacts of CC MOE (2010) projected that increased temperature by another

1.2°C by 2030, 1.7°C by 2050, and 3.0°C by 2100 in Nepal. Temperature rise in these areas increase the rate of snow and

glacier melt, releasing a higher volume of water to flow into lower region (Practical Action, 2010).

3

• All Nepal Temperature is increasing steadily • About 1.8°C increase from 1975 – 2006 Source: Baidya 2007

All Nepal Temperature Trend y = 0.0423x + 19.282

R 2 = 0.6287

17.5

18.0

18.5

19.0

19.5

20.0

20.5

21.0

21.5

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

Year

Tem

pera

ture

(°C)

2006 Warmest year in record Last 6 Consecutive years amongst Warmest 12 years:

All Nepal temperature trend


CC situation….. Additionally, in case of precipitation: • Regional precipitation series showed significant variability on

annual and decadal time scales (Shrestha, et al., 2000). • From the trend observed between 1976 and 2005, it is expected

that the regions with already high precipitation will receive more rainfall and those with low precipitation will see further decrease (Practical action 2010).

• It is also reported that over the past decades rainfall has become more intense, highly variable, longer gaps of no rain and delayed monsoon.

• Resilience to climate risk is poor in most areas because of fragility


Objective of the study

• To assess the local people experiences on climate change, its impact at Transhimalayan- Northern to Terai – Southern region and their adaptation practices that enable them to maintain their livelihood

• To review the recent CC policies and their implementation practices on CC adaptation at local level


Map of the Study Area 9/29/2012 7 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

Methodology • The study was divided into two parts

– Primary data collection through focus group discussion, share learning dialogue, interaction workshop with district level stakeholders (GOs/NGOs), and key informant interview with different field, district level technicians,

– as well as national level policy makers and field observations.

• Reviewed CC related policies, programme, documents for policy analysis from national to local level.



Key informant interview


Group discussion


Household survey


Consultative meetings with different district level organizations

Results and Discussion

• Major CC Impacts area – Agriculture and Food security, Water resources,

Climate induced disaster, Forest and biodiversity, Public health and Urban settlement and infrastructure.

• The paper mainly discusses on agriculture and water resources because majority of the population (80 %) depends on agriculture for their livelihood



Agriculture Farming

Impact on Agriculture • Variability of the precipitation (amount

distribution and timing) increasing uncertainty resulted negative impact on agriculture production of both summer crops ( maize, paddy) and winter crops (wheat, legume and mustard).

• Rain fed crops like Wheat, Oil crops (Rape mustard), winter vegetables and Maize production are severely affected due to low rainfall during winter and pre-monsoon.

• Increased food insecurity and rural livelihood


Impact on Agriculture…… • In case of high mountain, (Mustang) farmers

reported that unpredictable and un-timely precipitation in recent years (in the month of May) resulted damaged crops such as barley, wheat, and oat during harvesting time.

• Low soil temperature for maize seed germination in the month of May.

• Some have positive impacts as such opportunities to plant fruit ( Apple and Orange) and vegetables (cabbage) in the higher mountain.


Impact on Water Resources • Too little and too much water in some places

and time, and degraded water quality are the major issues in this region

• More than 80 % communities have experienced increased water stress and decreased rainfall and delay in monsoon (15 to 20 days)

• Local communities from High mountain (Mustang district) have experienced during the last few years (6-7) the low snowfall but high rainfall 9/29/2012 18 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

Impact……… • High mountains communities reported that there

used to be good snowfall in high altitude area, with up to 2 to 2.5 feet in the past.

• But, lately snowfall is only negligible during the last 5-6 years.

• Furthermore, local people in the high mountains have also noticed spectacular changes in their surroundings in the last couple of decades; hillsides that once used to be covered in snow throughout the year are now bare and dry.

• Water resources have decreased in natural springs and stream flow in the study area


Local adaptation practices

• Degradation of the High mountain grass land people have reduced the livestock numbers and changed occupation

• Mountain and Siwalik region, local people have been managing forest as a community forest, or leasehold forest

• Adoption of Sloping Agriculture Land Technology (SALT) as an agroforestry practice


Adaptation practices….. • Local farmers were practicing vegetable as a crop

diversification, livelihood diversification to earn more income than cereal crops in the Mid mountain and Siwalik region

• Local farmers reported the change in the seed sowing and planting time as well as adoption of early ripening and drought tolerant varieties in their farm lands.

• Limited farmers have irrigation facilities for their crop production.

• Limited framers have now started rain water harvesting, conservation pond and utilization of excess drinking water for vegetable production


Adaptation Drip irrigation


Climate Change policies Initiatives in Nepal

• GoN has initiated several activities to implement mitigation and adaptation measures to combat CC problems.

• CC policy is the newest addition to Nepal’s legislative framework.

• The policy has come with international signing treaty and convention

• CC initiatives passed 20 years


CC Initiatives in Nepal Date Policy highlight Key features

1992 Participated CC business Signed the United Nations Framework Convention on CC (UNFCC) UN Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1994 Instrument of ratification on CC

UNFCCC has entered into force in Nepal as per the Convention provision

1998 National Conservation Strategy 1998

Milestone in the field of CC, which has three objectives: (a) Sustainable use of water, land, forest and other renewable resources, (b) Conservation and promotion of bio-diversity (forest and agricultural) and (c) Protection of eco-system

2003 Sustainable Development Agenda for Nepal (SDAN)

Identified CC as the Future Agenda for Action.

2005 Nepal submitted the instrument of accession to the Kyoto Protocol to its depository

The Protocol has entered into force in Nepal. In order to expedite CDM projects, and get benefits from them, the Government of Nepal has made the Ministry of Environment (MOE) responsible to function as the Designated National Authority


2007 CC issues addressed in the Interim Constitution of Nepal

Right of every citizen to live in clean environment Right of every citizen to food security

2009 National Strategy for Risk Management,

Integrate the disaster risk reduction management from national to local level and mainstreaming into development agenda

2009 CC Council High level coordination and policy formulation in Nepal , Chairmanship of the Pri-minister

2010 National Planning agenda

National Planning Commission has Initiated climate resilience planning.. Make development efforts climate-resilient and environment-friendly

2010 Readiness Preparation Proposal (RPP) for REDD+ plus

To prepare vision for REDD+ strategy after 2012. Submitted by MoFSC to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the World Bank

2010 GoN endorsed NAPA documents

Assessing and prioritizing cc vulnerabilities and identifying adaptation measures

2010 Mountain Initiative (MI) Nepal supports the importance of initiating the MI for implementing Article 4.8 of the Convention to address the effects of CC on mountain people and the mountains.

2011 Climate Change Policy Provides multiple avenues for addressing the adverse impacts of a changing climate.

November 2011,

GoN endorsed the LAPA framework

LAPA provides opportunities to implement NAPA priorities with the participation of the local communities. LAPA framework ensures that the process of integrating CC resilience into local to national planning is bottom up, inclusive, responsive and flexible

2012 Government highlighted CC policies in Rio+20

Nepal’s recent policies and programmes focus on integrating climate adaptation, which is also reflected in the Rio+20 submissions. 9/29/2012 26 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

NAPA- Nepal Overall objective framework of NAPA • Mainstreaming Climate Change Agenda into

National Development • Poverty reduction • Livelihoods improvement diversification • Building resilience


National Framework for Local Adaptation Plan for Action (LAPA)

• Government of Nepal initiated climate adaptation planning and implementation

• Government intention : disburse at least 80 % of the available budget to the local level

• LAPA is designed to mainstream local adaptation needs into development planning

• Implementation adaptation activities at local level


LAPA Planning and Implementation Framework 9/29/2012 29 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

Community Adaptation Plans of Actions (CAPA)

• CAPA is an adaptation plan prepared by Community and is considered as the best practice to ensure the bottom up planning process.

• Project like LFP, CARE projects initiated CAPA at community forest user groups


Climate Change Policy 2011 (2067) • The policy has only recently been approved it is

difficult to assess its influence at this stage. • Three Year Plan Approach Paper (GON) (2010-2012)

includes the objectives of promoting green development, making development activities climate-friendly, mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change, promoting adaptation

• The proposed constitution formulation time, climate change was high on the national agenda.

• The draft constitution directly references climate change, clearly stating that citizens have a ‘right’ to adaptation and should be compensated for the losses and damages caused by climate related disasters 9/29/2012 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara 31

Climate Change Policy 2011……. • Climate Change Policy 2011, with its goal to

improve livelihoods by mitigating and adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change,

Specific objectives. • Establishment of a Climate Change Center, • Implementation of climate change adaptation and

mitigation related programmers, • Building community resilience to climate change

impacts and • Meeting state obligations established by

multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs)


CC Policy highlight… • Adopting a low carbon emissions development path, • Deforestation control, forest management and land use plan

for C-sequestration utility • Implementing climate change-related programmes in local

participation • Enhancing climate adaptive capacity of food grains, species

and ecosystem • Identifying, documenting and improving climate-friendly

traditional knowledge • Developing low methane emitting agricultural technologies • Proper utilization, promotion and conservation of forest

resources • Prioritizing sustainable forest, agro-forestry and

pasture/rangeland management program


Institutional frameworks for climate change planning in Nepal

• 25-members Climate Change Council, including eight experts, was constituted under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister

• The Ministry of Environment (MOE) is the focal point for most climate change activities including those under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol.

• Under the MOE there is a Climate Change Management Division.

• MOE plays a key role in overall coordination across scales


Positive outlooks in the policy

• Bottom-up participatory planning • Integrated approach • Ensuring the participation of poor people, Dalits,

marginalized indigenous communities, women, children and youth in the implementation of climate adaptation and climate change-related programmes

• 80 % fund will be allocated to the local level • Poverty reduction and livelihood focus • Mainstreaming to the national development agenda


Gap and Challenges on CC policy • Policy in the documents is very nice but implementation

and institutionalization of the program at the local level is questionable .

• Coordination mechanisms among the government line agencies from district and national level

• Ownership for the program implementation and success • Lack of mechanism for implementation of the policy and

program and thematic based information • The Ministry of Environment (MoE) will primarily be

responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of this policy.

• Capacity of the institutions and service provider • Achievable target is questionable ?


Practices • Policies in practice has not institutionalized and

implemented • Some practices has already implemented from

different GO and NGOs related on climate change mitigation and adaptation

• National and district level disaster relief committee

• Practices which help GHGs mitigation – Forest and Biodiversity conservation ( MOFSC) – Aforestration and Reforestration (MOFSC) – Alternative energies: Biogas, Solar, Microhydro…..


Practices related on adaptation • Water harvesting/ conservation pond (DSCWM) • Soil conservation program, C F Mgt, Biodiversity cons, LF • Water induce disaster management program • Early warning system few cases • Media program ( awareness) • Organic farming and agro-biodiversity, agro forestry • Different INGO/NGOs has prepared LAPA and CAPA at the

VDC and UG at their project areas • Different Ministry: Agri (Environment division,) Forest- REDD

cell. CC Mgt. division (MOE) • Different government offices such as DFO, DSCO,DAO have

initiated climate change issues and adaptation option at the local level training and awareness program 9/29/2012 38 Krishna R Tiwai,Ph.D. IOF, Pokhara

Way forward • Demand and service provider capacity

enhancement • Institutionalization the program and activities with

allocation the certain percent budget for implementation in each line agencies even VDC and DDC

• CC adaptation programme be mainstreamed in the national development agenda and enhance the institutional capacity to implement the programme

• Baseline data and documentation and Research • Knowledge shearing


Thank You Very Much


climate change impact, adaptation practices and … change impact, adaptation practices and policies...

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