Mountain Advocacy Summit on Tuesday

Mountain Advocacy Summit will kick off in Mustang on Tuesday. The two-day event to be organised by the Ministry of Forests and Environment aims to draw national and international attention towards issues and challenges facing the mountain region due to climate change.     

Various organisations from Nepal and abroad including the FAO are participating in the grand event which will discuss the impact and implications of global warming on the mountain region and relations among the low-lying areas in this situation.     

According to the Ministry’s Climate Change Division Chief Buddhi Sagar Poudyal, Minister for Forests and Environment Pradeep Yadav, and Secretary Dr. Pem Narayan Kandel, among others, are attending the summit. As he said, the Summit will bring together national and international experts, activists associated with climate change and biodiversity sectors, and government officials and activities to share ideas on the topic.     

Nepal’s mountain region faces more implications of global warming and as a result, the mountain region is hit by incidences of unusual rainfall and avalanches and is seeing the impact on the people’s livelihood and biodiversities, pointed out  Dr. Kandel.    

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the temperature in the mountain region is increasing by 0.08 degree Celsius each year. The consequences increase the risk of the expansion of glaciers and their outburst. But the issue is yet to get international recognition and attention, according to Minister Yadav. Experts say that incidences of natural disasters are on the rise in mountain districts Manang, Mustang, and Dolpa. As the Minister said, last year’s incidences of landslides and avalanches in Manang, Mustang, and Sindhupalchowk might be attributed to the impact of climate change.