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15 General Assembly of Asia- Pacific Parliamentarians' conference on Environment and
Development (APPCED)
Climate Change and Tourism in Nepal:
Honorable Chair person, Hon. Parliament members, distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all on behalf of delegates from Nepal, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my
gratitude to the organizer for the invitation to participate in this august gathering and giving the
opportunity to share on the issues of effect of climate change on Nepalese tourism.
I m
delighted to share Nepal's experiences on the climate change and tourism with this august
gathering. My special and sincere thanks to Hon. Chairman, and all delegates from different
countries for considering Nepal as the venue for APPCED 16the General Convention, next year.
Hon. Chairperson,
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As we know Climate change is a continuous and inevitable phenomenon, which has become a
global issue in this era. However, many evidences indicate that the pattern of global climate
change is different as compared to pre-industrial era and is expected to continue further in the
coming days. This phenomenon is now isolated to certaip areas only, it has become global. The
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main contributor to this change has been identified as Green House Gases (GHG), produced
from the excessive use of fossil fuel by us humans.
Similarly, the consumerism that has
flourished in western world in this century can be viewed as another cause. Poverty in the third
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world that is heavily dependent on the forest is no lesser cause. Causes are many - but that are
out of the scope of today's paper. The climate change has adversely impacted every sector in
the world. However, I would like to focus on the impact exerted on the tourism.
Tourism can playa significant role in addressing climate change if the innovativeness and
resources of this vital global economic sector are fully mobilized and oriented towards this goal.
The concern of the tourism community regarding the challenge of climate change has visibly
increased over the few years the world tourism organization (UN WTO) and several partners'
organizations, including UNEP, convened the first international conference on climate change
and tourism in 2003. This event was a watershed in terms of raising awareness about the
implications of climate change within the international tourism community. It recognized
complex inter-linkage between the tourism sector and climate change and established a
framework for future research and policy making an adaptation and mitigation. A number of
individual tourism industry associations and business have also shown leadership on climate
change, voluntarily adapting green house gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, engaging in
public education campaign on climate change and supporting government on climate change
legislation. The tourism industry and destinations are clearly sensitive to climate variability and
change.
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eco-system to the vagaries of climate change. Nepal emphasized that atmospheric temperature
should be kept below 1.5 degrees.
Hon. Chairperson,
Tourism is one of the major sources of income for the people and contributes· 9.1% to the
country's economy.
It is one of the highest direct and indirect employment generators after
the agriculture in Nepal. Most of the world's highest Himalayas are located in Nepal with
exceptional attraction of highest mountains. Nepalese Himalayas have become popular
destinations and have been Mecca for trekkers and mountaineers. Nepal receives annually over
500,000 tourists from the world including India. Thus, it can be easily deduced that the tourism
is the backbone of the county's economy.
Natural beauty of Nepal has attracted, supported and helped to develop the tourism in Nepal.
International tourists prefer travelling to underdeveloped areas with the purpose of enjoying
raw nature such as landscape, mountain ranges, glacial lakes, rivers and inimitable flora and
fauna across its diverse ecological slope conserved and protected parks and areas. Trekking,
rafting, jungle safari, mountaineering, bird watching, fishing, rock climbing, are most popular
tourism activities of the country which is helping to ;peed up growing tourism industry in
Nepal. Diversity of the mountains characteristics is important factor of development of tourism
in Nepal. Nepal has 16 protected areas, (national parks, conservation areas, wildlife reserve,
and a hunting area) where diverse species of plants and animals reside. Tourists get unique
opportunities for viewing un predicted mega fauna, one horned rhino, tigers and elephant on
the foothills of Himalayas. Rafting begins from the originating of world's tallest mountain which
is very famous and popular activity in Nepal.
Even though there is huge potential of tourism development, climate change is a big setback for
the sector. Over the years climate change has posed many constrains for tourism industry.
Despite its growing effects, climate change has not garnered substantial attention from the
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tourism industry, government and the intellectual community. The IPee report shows that the
Himalayas could face an increase in frequency and intensity of rainfall, which enforce the risk of
flooding and landslide, causing trouble in the flow of tourist.
To conclude, it is evident that the Nepal's tourism products are heavily dependent on the
natural richness of the country and the tourism is providing a highly needed means of
sustenance for the societies living in the higher reaches of the Himalayas. The Himalayas, which
supports a vast populace, as we understand is not just the property of the countries in the
vicinity, it also, in a way, belongs to the global citizens. Hence, it is the responsibility to protect
the area by introducing strong adaptation and mitigation policies.
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Han. chairperson,
The record shows that the availability of temperature and precipitation data in Nepal is limited.
The studies conducted in the past 30 years have shown that temperature in Nepal is increasing
at a very alarming rate. The melting stage of snow in the Himalayas is one of the biggest issues
resulting from this phenomenon in Nepal. According to a report issued by UNEP and ICiMOD,
based on data collected from 49 monitoring stations, a number of glaciers are rapidly
retreating, at a rate of 30-100m annually. This is leading to the formation of unstable glacial
lakes threatening to burst their banks thereby posing risk to the communities living
downstream.
Nepal, due to its extreme topography that starts from just 60m above sea level and rises to the
apex of the world, Mt. Everest harbors vast natural diversity, terrains, climatic conditions, socia
economic situations and flora and fauna. One can find tropical as well as alpine climate just
within the distance of 150 - 200 kilometer. But now it has been observed that the hot weather
is rapidly shifting from lower to higher range. 50 this change is already affecting peoples overall
activities. An informal caucus of parliamentarians on climate change had visited Himalayan
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Region of Nepal with an objective of collecting firsthand information on the impacts of climate
change and tourism on local environment and livelihood there. It was observed that the people
living there were finding it hard to adapt to the changing weather patterns, as they were
traditionally unprepared to cope with extreme weather situation such as frequent droughts and
floods, breakout of crop and livestock diseases and conflict over water sharing. Water sources
are drying up, warmer day in winter and high temperature have affected apple farms in lower
parts of Himalayas. Unusual intense rain affected mud houses that were designed to manage
only snowfall.
Nepal, despite being a non-emission zone is directly or indirectly being affected by the global
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emission of GHG initiated temperature rise. Therefore, during the conference on Climate
change in Copenhagen 2009, Nepal has reminded that the developed countries to abide by
their existing commitments to reduced green house gas (GHG) emission as already agreed
within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.
Indicating Nepal's willingness to play its part, Nepal government drew attention of the
conference to the huge potential for developing hydropower, solar and wind energy in Nepal
and contributes to reduce emission even at a regional level and observed that Nepal could
aspire to become a carbon neutral country in the long run. Nepal also proposed to form an
alliance of mountain countries to highlight the particular vulnerability of the fragile mountain
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Similarly, all tourism businesses and destinations need to adopt the working ethics that exerts
minimum impact to the environment and capitalize in new opportunities in sustainable ways.
To facilitate this some tourism stake-holder regions will require assistance to adopt effective
policies to climate change. Furthermore, whole international community needs to sensitize on
the cause of environmental protection.
Last but not the least, I would like to recommend all the nations that are the highest
contributor to the global climate change to abide by the resolutions they have signed. The need
of the hour is discussion and diplomacy with concrete action.
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Thank you!!
Mahalaxmi Upadhyay Dina
Member of Parliament I Constituent Assembly
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