Impact of Climate Change in Snow and Glacier Retreat With People’s Perception and Adaptation Strategies (A Case Study of Langtang Valley)
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Department of Geography
Abstract
Climate change studies in Himalayan regions have focused mainly on glacier melting,
retreating, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Most glacier studies in Nepal show
glaciers are undergoing rapid deglaciation. But somehow the impact of climate change
and adaptation strategies of local peoples have not been studied in detail in Langtang
valley. Hence, this research has been carried out to investigate the contribution of climate
change and effects on people’s adaptation strategies in the region which are most
vulnerable to climate change. This research paper deals with various time series satellite
imagery, temperature data, precipitation data, water discharge data and social survey.
Analyzing the temperature data from 1987 to 2009 it is found that the average daily
temperature is 3.2°C with standard deviation of 1.27. The temperature is found to be in
increasing trend of 0.119°C/year. Global warming has serious consequences like snow
melting, glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) and overall land use/ land cover change. The
study also reveals that the total snow coverage area was continuously decreased in
Langtang valley. In 1988, the total snow covered area was 43.16 percent and in 2000 total
snow covered area was 42.67 percent which was decreased by 272.9 ha. In 2009 snow
covered area was 38.72 percent which was decreased by 2196.5 ha between 2000 to 2009.
Yearly snow melting rate has been 0.21 percent per year according to data available
between 1988 to 2009. The result suggested that the glaciers are retreating rapidly and
people are facing several problems due to the hydro-ecological changes in Langtang
valley and trying their best to tackle with the changing environments. Rapid glacier
melting disrupted rural livelihoods by posing a threat to agriculture, biodiversity and
health. Change in rainfall and temperature resulted in changes in plant behavior like early
flowering, shift in vegetation line and loss of some valuable species. Extreme climate
events are destroying crops, depleting water resources, causing losses in livestock,
cropland, and agricultural productivity. These changes indicate that unpredictable climate
variability will be a major obstacle for subsistence-based livelihoods in Langtang valley.
Key Words: Climate change, land use/ land cover change, rainfall, temperature,
adaptation strategies.