Mountain Advocacy Summit kicking off in Mustang from Tuesday

KATHMANDU: Mountain Advocacy Summit will be commencing in Mustang on Tuesday.

The two-day event to be organized by the Ministry of Forests and Environment aims to draw the national and international attention towards issues and challenges facing the mountain region due to climate change.

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

According to Ministry 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 event.

As he said, the Summit will bring together national and international experts, activists associated with climate change and biodiversity sectors and government officials and the activities to share ideas on the topic.

Dr Kandel said 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 impact on the people’s livelihood and bio diversities.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, temperature in the mountain region is increasing by 0.08 degree Celsius each year. The consequences increase the risk for expansion of glaciers and their outburst.

But the issue is yet to get international recognition and attention, according to Minister Yadav. It is said 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 due to impact of climate change.