Nepal is landlocked in the Himalayas where the Indian continental crust under-thrust Eurasia, and uplifted mighty mountains. The climate varies from subtropical in the lowlands, to alpine where peaks achieve heights as great as 11,800 feet. Climate change in Nepal is melting snow caps to an extent where authorities are organizing a global summit to draw attention.
Serious Consequences of Climate Change in Nepal
A 2019 report titled ‘Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment: Change, Sustainability and People’ rang alarm bells. That’s because it predicted a tremendous meltdown in the Himalayan region if greenhouse emissions continue unabated.
Even if average global warming were contained to 1.5 ºC, then the Hindu Kush Himalaya region would be at least 0.3 ºC higher. However, northwest Himalaya and Karakoram would be at least 0.4 °C worse off, or 2.2 ºC warmer. Therefore the report warns of serious consequences for the region. That’s because glacial melt would increase, biodiversity would diminish, and it would be impossible to accurately predict water availability downstream.
These Changes Have Already Started Happening
Recent observations show the ice-capped Himalayan peaks are becoming bare black rock according to Nepal Times. Downstream, water levels in the mighty Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra rivers are rising. They could spill over onto farmland if there were consistent heavy rain. However, this process will reverse in 2050 if all the ice has gone by then.
The Nepalese government is planning the first ever global summit on climate change in April, 2020. It has titled the event ‘Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity’. Those are hard words, but will they ring true in minds of politicians unwilling to listen?
Our glaciers are melting, Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari warns. Glacial lakes could therefore burst and devastate the countryside far, far below. Climate change in Nepal could have very serious implications for water availability, and the humanity living in those vulnerable parts.
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Preview Image: Himalaya Ice Caps Melting (Google Earth)
