Climate Projects for Nepal

Himalayan Glacier Project

The Eastern Himalayan with glacier coverage of 33,000 sq. km is aptly known as the Water ToWers of Asia.

67% of the glaciers in these regions have retreated due to climate change in the past. (Ageta and Kadota, 1992; Yamada et al., 1996; Fushinmi, 2000).

The relationship between climate and glacial retreat although confirmed by the scientists at a general level, is not yet understood well enough to drive a detailed policy response.

The climate change program of WWF Nepal has initiated the Himalayan Glacier Project to bring a definite relationship betWeen glacier shrinkage and climate change. This regional scale project includes three countries - Nepal , China and India . In Nepal the project is located at Khumbu and Nguzumpa glacier of Khumbu region of Solu-Khumbu District and the Sagarmatha Area.

The project will work to examine the specific threat by the rapidly retreating glaciers upon the vital river systems and the people who depend on them.

Along with this it will focus on developing a model to infer the changes under different climate scenarios. It will attempt to establish a relationship between glacier retreat, water discharge pattern and freshwater availability.

Additionally, this project will bring local climate impact stories to raise the sense of urgency and support of solution oriented work at an international level. It will also help to develop the adaptation strategies for selected communities and ecosystems.

Climate Witness Project

Climate change is happening and people have started to feel its impacts on their lives. But decision-makers are still hesitating to take decisive steps towards combating climate change - the problem still seems too far away.

To bring realities of climate change closer to the general public, decision-makers and the supporters, WWF Nepal has initiated a climate witness project. This project will work with the local communities to collect and document stories of how climate change is affecting the lives of Nepalese people. The focal areas of this project are Sagarmatha National Park (SNP) and Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA).

In the end, it will generate credible and verifiable testimonies from people impacted by climate change which will work to raise awareness and support at National and International level. Furthermore it will generate discussion, participation and action on climate change issues from various stakeholders to policy makers and the general public.

Along with this, it will help to incorporate the climate change concern in the development planning. It will also enable spokespeople from impacted local communities to travel and tell their stories to different international audiences.