The paper is based on author＇s observations during long geological field investigations in the Nepal Himalayas and various other international researches pertaining to natural hazards, global warming and climate chan...The paper is based on author＇s observations during long geological field investigations in the Nepal Himalayas and various other international researches pertaining to natural hazards, global warming and climate change. High mountains all over the world including Nepal Himalaya are threatened by global warming. In addition, Nepal lies at heart of Himalayan orogenic belt and is prone to both geological and hydro-meteorological hazard. Tremendous geographic diversity from high mountains to fiat plains presents specific hazards like earthquakes, avalanche, glacial lake outburst flood, debris flow, floods, landslides, thunderstorm, fire, cold and hot waves, etc. These natural hazards combined with anthropogenic hazards aggravate and degrade the fragile eco-systems, put human lives at risk, and cause immense economic losses. In last 25 years, it has attributed to an average annual loss of about 850 lives, damage of infrastructures and properties equivalent to about 6% of the annual development expenditure. GHGs （Green House Gases） are the chief sources of global warming and climate change. In Nepal, these are marked by an average of 0.06℃ per year rise in temperature, fast snow melting, retreating glaciers, vertical shift in snowline, decrease in amount of snowfall, appearance of new glacial lakes and increase in their size and volume. There is a need of strong commitment of international community to work together to reduce GHGs, CFC （Chlorofluorocarbon）, and international and regional cooperation to face the present challenges of global warming and climate change. Government of Nepal already prepared the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management for building a resilient nation emphasizing on assessment, identification, and monitoring of disaster risk and enhancing early warning system.展开更多
文摘The paper is based on author＇s observations during long geological field investigations in the Nepal Himalayas and various other international researches pertaining to natural hazards, global warming and climate change. High mountains all over the world including Nepal Himalaya are threatened by global warming. In addition, Nepal lies at heart of Himalayan orogenic belt and is prone to both geological and hydro-meteorological hazard. Tremendous geographic diversity from high mountains to fiat plains presents specific hazards like earthquakes, avalanche, glacial lake outburst flood, debris flow, floods, landslides, thunderstorm, fire, cold and hot waves, etc. These natural hazards combined with anthropogenic hazards aggravate and degrade the fragile eco-systems, put human lives at risk, and cause immense economic losses. In last 25 years, it has attributed to an average annual loss of about 850 lives, damage of infrastructures and properties equivalent to about 6% of the annual development expenditure. GHGs （Green House Gases） are the chief sources of global warming and climate change. In Nepal, these are marked by an average of 0.06℃ per year rise in temperature, fast snow melting, retreating glaciers, vertical shift in snowline, decrease in amount of snowfall, appearance of new glacial lakes and increase in their size and volume. There is a need of strong commitment of international community to work together to reduce GHGs, CFC （Chlorofluorocarbon）, and international and regional cooperation to face the present challenges of global warming and climate change. Government of Nepal already prepared the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management for building a resilient nation emphasizing on assessment, identification, and monitoring of disaster risk and enhancing early warning system.
