Climate Change is Happening Now- Time to Take Action!
Sabita Gyawali Devkota
Communication and Co-ordination Focal Point/ Earth Concern
Climate change is a global phenomenon which has been impactinglives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world. As the sub-region, South-Asia is prone to natural disaster and it has been experiencing impacts like glacier melt, avalanche, rising sea levels, forest fires, soil erosion, and saline water intrusion, abnormal weather patterns including heat waves, extreme storms, floods and other natural disasters. South Asia, a house to more than half of world’s poor is surrounded by the evolving climate crisis with potential consequences of adding more complexities and poverty. An Asian Development Bank Report highlights that by 2050, the collective economy of six countries—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka - will lose an average 1.8% of its annual gross domestic product, rising to 8.8% by 2100. These projections urge to strengthen regional interventions and collective efforts as climate change issues are not isolated.
ADB report highlights that there are 20 potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal. Bangladesh and Nepal have experienced the highest number of disaster events. All South Asian countries are constantly facing climatic challenges and there are increasing vulnerabilities. For example, ‘Climate Risk Atlas’ has ranked Nepal 13th in the world in terms of climate change vulnerability. Nepal Disaster Report 2019 mentioned that a total of 6,381 small and large disaster incidents were reported in 2017 and 2018 and it accounted for a total of around 6.84 billion Nepali rupees loss besides human, livestock and other losses; these trends are increasing every year. On the other, Nepalese economy which is heavily dependent on agriculture and forestry is constantly facing climatic challenges. These statistics prove that climate change is real and it is happening in Nepal and across South Asia. If not taken appropriate and timely actions, region will continue to face severe challenges, deaths, economic losses and people falling into chronic cycle of poverty.
Climate change needs collective efforts from local to global level. The UN Glasgow Climate Summit which was perceived as ‘the best last chance’, has recently been organized. The COP26 agreement could be proved as a landmark if the world leaders will pledge to fulfill their commitments: commitment to offer increased financial support to developing countries to cope up with the impact of climate change, commitment to end fossil fuel subsidies, phasing out coal, putting a price on carbon, protecting vulnerable communities.There were other important outcomes of COP26 such as more than 100 national governments, cities, states and major car companies signed the Glasgow Declaration on Zero-Emission Cars and Vans to end the sale of internal combustion engines by 2035 in leading markets, and by 2040 worldwide.
Measures to tackle impacts of climate change are quite diverse from adaptation, building resilience to climate financing and many others. The problems are complex and interrelated and thus, they also demand action from every individual, community, government, aid agencies and private sectors. Taking climate smart action is not a choice, it is a critical need for the survival.
