The presentation described the resolutions of the global e-conference on 'Climate Change and the Himalayan Glaciers' held 7-30 May, 2007.
The following problems were highlighted:
- Global warming and climate change are no longer the issues of debate.
- Mountainous regions are relatively more prone to these effects and snow and ice covered areas are most sensitive.
- Glacier and ice cover includes about 17% of the Greater Himalayan region, a total area of nearly 113,000 sq. km.
- The average earth surface temperature increase trend: 0.3 to 0.6 degrees C over the past hundred years.
- Warming in Nepal and Tibet was 0.2-0.6 degrees C between 1950 and 2001. The life of warm seasons has also lengthened.
- On the Indian subcontinent, the IPCC prediction is between 3.5 to 5.5 degrees C by 2100 and recent predictions are more alarming.
- There is a lack of a platform to discuss the various dimensions of climate change in the region
The e-conference had the involvement of 161,150 participants from 26 countries (all continents represented). About 60% of them are from the region. Major institutions and individuals participated from organisations such as APN, ICIMOD, ITDG Nepal, IUCN Nepal, NTNC, Reynolds Geo-sciences, Tribhuvan University, Winrock International, WWF Nepal & India, MoEST/GoN.
