Environmental issues in Nepal include pollution, overpopulation, deforestation, energy conservation and species.
Non-timber forest is threatened by deforestation, habitat degradation and unsustainable harvesting. The main threats to some protected areas are pastoral care throughout the year, hunting for high-value products, illegal logging and unsustainable tourism. Rangelands suffer from substantial grazing pressures and wetland biodiversity is threatened by wetland habitat encroachment, unsustainable harvesting of wetlands, industrial pollution, agricultural runoff, introduction of exotic and invasive species into wetland ecosystems, and mud deposits. Mountain biodiversity suffers from ecological fragility and high volcanic environmental instability, deforestation, poor management of natural resources, and inappropriate agricultural practices (MFSC, 2000).
Agrobiodiversity is threatened by the use of improved varieties, the destruction of natural habitats, overgrazing, land fragmentation, agricultural commercialization and the expansion of modern varieties, the indiscriminate use of pesticides, population growth and urbanization, and priority change of farmers (MFSC, 2000). More biodiversity loss factors include landslides and soil erosion, pollution, fires, overgrowing, illegal trade, hunting and smuggling.
Video Environmental issues in Nepal
Environmental issues
Water and air pollution
Sedimentation and industrial waste disposal are a major source of water pollution, and burning of wood for fuel is a significant source of indoor air pollution and respiratory problems. Vehicle and industrial emissions are increasingly contributing to air pollution in urban areas.
Deforestation
Deforestation and land degradation seem to affect a much larger proportion of the population and have the worst consequences for economic growth and individual livelihoods. Forest loss has caused flooding, soil erosion, and stagnant agricultural products. Estimates show that from 1966 to 2000 forest cover decreased from 45 to 29 percent of the total land area. Common causes of deforestation are population growth, high firewood consumption, infrastructure projects, and forest conversion into grazing and agricultural land. According to government estimates, 1.5 million tons of soil nutrients are lost each year, and in 2002 about 5 percent of agricultural holdings have become unworkable due to soil erosion and flooding.
Land degradation is associated with population growth, inappropriate use of agro-chemicals, and too-intensive land use that is too small to provide the majority of households with sufficient food. Since the late 1980s, government policies have sought to address these related issues. Policies are often hampered by lack of funding, lack of understanding of Nepal's mountainous ecosystems, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and sometimes controversial relationships between central government and local communities. (MFSC, 2000)
Excess populations
The main threat factor for the local environment is the growth of Nepalese population. According to the 1991 census, Nepal's population is about 18.5 million. In 2000, the population was estimated to be 22 million (MFSC, 2000). More than half (53 percent) of this population is below the absolute poverty line and will double in the next 26 years (MoPE (a), 2000). Poverty has a causal effect on the population and vice versa, which contributes to environmental damage. Rapid population growth has led to increased demand for firewood, timber, fodder and land to grow more food (MFSC, 2000).
Maps Environmental issues in Nepal
See also
- Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD)
- National Trust for Nature Conservation
References
External links
- Ministry of the Environment
- EnvironmentNEPAL
- Forestry Information in Nepal
This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies website http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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