---
title: "Global and national environmental issues"
subject: "Technology, Environment and Society"
chapter: 4
key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:global-and-nepal-env-issues"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/global-and-nepal-env-issues
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Global and national environmental issues

Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 4: Environment

- Asked in: 2073 Shrawan, 4+4 marks; 2070 Asar, 4 marks (asked 2 times)
- Video: [Top 10 Major Global Environmental Issues In The World - List Of Global Environmental Problems [2021]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTrWtFR_FrQ) — District10TV
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/global-and-nepal-env-issues
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-4

## Question

Discuss about the global environmental issues. Also discuss key environmental issues of Nepal.

## Short answer

Key global issues include climate change, ozone depletion, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Nepal faces deforestation, soil erosion, urban air pollution, water contamination, waste dumping, unplanned urbanisation, and climate-induced disasters like GLOFs and drying springs.

## Answer

Environmental issues are harmful effects of human activities on the air, water, land, climate and living things. Some are **global** (they cross national borders), while others are **national/local**.

#### Global environmental issues

1. **Climate change and global warming** – due to greenhouse gases from fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture.
2. **Ozone layer depletion** – CFCs and halons thinned the ozone layer (Antarctic ozone hole); controlled by the Montreal Protocol (1987).
3. **Air pollution** – vehicles, industry, coal power; about 7 million premature deaths per year (WHO estimate).
4. **Water pollution and scarcity** – sewage, industrial and agricultural chemicals; over 2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water.
5. **Deforestation** – especially tropical forests (Amazon, Congo, Southeast Asia).
6. **Loss of biodiversity** – habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species.
7. **Land degradation and desertification** – overgrazing, poor farming.
8. **Acid rain** – SO₂ and NOₓ from coal and vehicles.
9. **Waste and plastic pollution** – plastics in oceans, e-waste, hazardous waste.
10. **Population growth and over-consumption** – pressure on all resources.

#### Key environmental issues of Nepal

1. **Deforestation and forest degradation** – illegal logging, fuelwood use, encroachment and road building.
2. **Soil erosion and landslides** – fragile young mountains, steep slopes, haphazard rural roads cut by bulldozers.
3. **Air pollution** – Kathmandu Valley often has PM2.5 far above WHO limits; sources: vehicles, brick kilns, dust, waste burning, forest fires.
4. **Water pollution** – untreated sewage and industrial waste in rivers (Bagmati, Bishnumati); contaminated drinking water; arsenic in Terai groundwater.
5. **Solid waste management** – open dumping; the Sisdol/Bancharedanda landfill problem in Kathmandu.
6. **Unplanned urbanisation** – loss of open space and farmland, traffic, noise.
7. **Climate change impacts** – glacier melt, GLOF risk, erratic rainfall, floods and droughts, drying springs.
8. **Loss of biodiversity** – poaching, habitat loss, invasive species.
9. **Riverbed mining** – excessive sand and gravel extraction (e.g. Chure region).
10. **Floods and disasters** – Terai floods, landslides, earthquakes.

| Point | Global issues | Nepal's issues |
|---|---|---|
| Main driver | Industrial emissions, consumption | Poverty, unplanned development |
| Climate role | Big emitters cause it | Victim (~0.03% of emissions) |
| Key problem | Warming, ozone, plastics | Landslides, urban pollution, GLOF |
| Response | Treaties (Paris, Montreal) | EPA 2076, community forestry |

Nepal's issues are linked with global ones: climate change from global emissions melts Nepal's glaciers, so both national action and global cooperation are needed.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which agreement controls ozone-depleting substances?
   A. Kyoto Protocol
   B. Montreal Protocol (1987)
   C. Paris Agreement
   D. Basel Convention
   Answer: B. The Montreal Protocol (1987) controls CFCs and halons. (Key point: Ozone)

2. How is Nepal related to global climate change?
   A. Major emitter (most emissions)
   B. Victim with only ~0.1% emissions, glaciers melting
   C. Unaffected
   D. Largest coal user
   Answer: B. Nepal contributes ~0.1% but suffers glacier melt and GLOF risk. (Key point: Nepal and climate)

3. Which law/response is listed for Nepal's issues?
   A. Environment Protection Act 2076 and community forestry
   B. Montreal Protocol only
   C. Kyoto only
   D. None
   Answer: A. EPA 2076 and community forestry are Nepal's responses. (Key point: Nepal law)

## Related in Technology, Environment and Society

- [Nepal's environmental issues and global effort](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Anepal-env-issues-global-effort) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4
- [Current environmental issues: Nepal vs global](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Anepal-vs-global-env-issues) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4
- [Global environmental issues: causes and consequences](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aglobal-env-issues-causes) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4
- [Short note: Major global environmental issues](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aglobal-env-issues-note) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4
- [Nepal's immediate environmental issues and technology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Anepal-env-issues-technology) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4, asked 2×
- [Nepal's environmental issues and mitigation strategies](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Anepal-env-issues-strategies) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4

## Related in other subjects

- [Global and national energy scenario](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aglobal-national-energy-scenario) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 2
- [Importance of hydrology in Nepal, global water balance](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fengineering_hydrology%3Ahydrology-importance-global-balance) — Engineering Hydrology, chapter 1
- [EIA; environmental problems in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aeia-nepal-problems-improve) — Project Engineering, chapter 2
- [VoIP and IPI issues in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finternet_and_intranet%3Avoip-ipi-issues-nepal) — Internet and Intranet, chapter 7