In 1994 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) became active. Their main focuses are on controlling and stabilizing the amount of greenhouse gas that was being put into the atmosphere. They eventually want to bring it down to a safer level. The Kyoto protocol was enacted in 1997, and its target is to reduce the GHG emissions. This protocol follows the “the principal of “Common but differentiated responsibilities.” The countries that were included in this group were those that were highly industrialized, or were in transition to becoming industrialized. They were also referred to as Annex I countries. Nepal, which does not belong to the annex, does not have any legal commitment to what the UNFCCC had decided upon, however it has a “moral obligation to join hands with the international community to fight climate change problem.”
The Kyoto Protocol had one movement called the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Its main purpose is to make underdeveloped countries aware of the GHG emission target range, and help them develop certain procedures to safely develop their countries. There has recently been one climate change policy that has been finalized, but government of Nepal has yet to agree to it.
There are a few other recovery plans that are in the works, which would help countries develop their technology, financing and capacity-building, in a measurable, less harmful manner. It is believed that it is in Nepal’s best interest to develop an adaption program to deal with the changing climate. “The country should have strategy of leveraging potential carbon projects (CDM and or VCS) as earliest possible before adaptation of National Appropriate Mitigation Action to maximize the benefit from carbon market. To achieve this objective, three actions should be taken immediately in parallel: preparation of national climate change mitigation strategy; carry out sector-oriented baseline study (i.e. sector-wise GHG inventory) and capacity building for development, implementation and management of carbon projects.
Nepal will most likely enter into the protocol in 2012 when the new cycle of the protocol is enacted.
“India ranks second in the world for natural disasters.” They follow China, who is ranked number one in the world. India has failed to address the issues faced with their emissions and the changing climate. India has a total of 16 natural disasters that have occurred, following not that far behind China who has had 22. The estimated cost of all natural disasters that occurred in 2010 was estimated to be $110 billion. China has experienced a higher death rate, and destruction to their property, as well as has seen an increase of earthquakes, landslides, and floods. Margareta Wahlstrom cautions that "weather-related disasters are sure to rise in the future, due to factors that include climate change. Other than the Haiti earthquake and the heat wave in Russia, other major disasters include the earthquake in China (estimate number of deaths 2,968), floods in Pakistan (1985 deaths), landslides in China (1765 people killed) and floods in China.” It is important for countries to start developing an adaption plan to deal with future unforeseen disasters due to the changing climate.
On August 6th 2011, massive amounts of rain caused a mudslide in India, killing 125 people. The location of the heavy rainfall was in Leh, which is the main city along the Himalayan border region of Ladakh. The village of Choglamsar, which is on the outskirts of this region, was hit especially hard. It is unknown how many people could be under the mud. Over 6,000 troops attempted to rescue the individuals trapped in the mud. About 125 bodies had been recovered, but the death toll is likely to increase since villages that were downstream of the mudslide had not yet been helped.
August 5th, 2007
On August 4th, 2007 India was hit with a strong monsoon after heavy rainfall hit South Asia. Scientists believe that this “freak rain” is due to the present climate change. Weather scientists predict that the unnatural weather patterns, specifically the amount of rainfall that will visit South Asia, will increase over the years. More than half the districts in Bangladesh were under water during this time. About 58 people have been reported dead after the week’s heavy rainfall, and over a million families were affected by the flooding. Bangladesh was also affected by India’s overflowing rivers. Nepal’s southern plains were also put under water. “Nearly 10,000 people were displaced, and 84 had been killed, said Paul Handley, a field coordinator with the agency.” The United Nations has attempted to help Nepal in their time of need, with the heavy flooding, but their supplies have been tapped. “Pakistan has already had its turn with flooding. In July rains in Baluchistan and Sindh provinces, the death toll reached 329 and 90,000 families were made homeless, the United Nations said.”
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