--- title: "Nepal's environmental issues and global effort" subject: "Technology, Environment and Society" chapter: 4 key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:nepal-env-issues-global-effort" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/nepal-env-issues-global-effort site: BCT Engineering --- # Nepal's environmental issues and global effort Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 4: Environment - Asked in: 2080 Bhadra, 4+4 marks - Video: [Climate Change & Its Impacts on Nepal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFY-KqRm0Og) — European Union in Nepal - 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/nepal-env-issues-global-effort - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-4 ## Question List out the major environmental issues in Nepal. Describe briefly the causes and mitigation measures. Also discuss how those environmental issues need global effort and what are those effort. ## Short answer Nepal faces deforestation, soil erosion, air and water pollution, solid waste, climate change impacts like glacier melt and GLOF, biodiversity loss, and riverbed mining. Mitigation includes community forestry, cleaner energy, and better planning. Global effort is essential because climate and pollution are transboundary; key actions include the Paris Agreement, REDD+, and ICIMOD cooperation. ## Answer #### Major environmental issues in Nepal, causes and mitigation | Issue | Causes | Mitigation measures | |---|---|---| | Deforestation | Fuelwood, encroachment, illegal logging, roads | Community forestry, improved stoves, biogas, afforestation | | Soil erosion and landslides | Steep slopes, haphazard roads, monsoon | Bio-engineering, proper road design, watershed management | | Air pollution (Kathmandu) | Old vehicles, brick kilns, dust, waste burning | Electric vehicles, cleaner kilns, road paving, emission tests | | Water pollution | Untreated sewage, industrial waste | Sewage treatment plants, river clean-up (Bagmati campaign) | | Solid waste | Urban growth, no segregation | 3R, composting, sanitary landfill | | Climate change impacts | Global GHG emissions | Adaptation plans, early warning, renewable energy | | GLOF and floods | Glacier melt, heavy rain | Lake lowering (Tsho Rolpa, Imja), flood warning | | Biodiversity loss | Poaching, habitat loss | Protected areas, anti-poaching, buffer zones | | Riverbed mining | Construction demand | Regulation, EIA, monitoring | #### Why these issues need global effort 1. **Climate change is caused globally** – Nepal emits only about 0.03% of global GHGs but suffers glacier melt, GLOF, erratic rain and drying springs. 2. **Transboundary pollution** – smoke and haze from forest fires and crop burning in South Asia reach Nepal; black carbon speeds glacier melting. 3. **Shared rivers** – the Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali flow into India; floods and water use need regional cooperation. 4. **Shared wildlife** – tigers, rhinos and elephants move across borders; trade in wildlife parts is international. 5. **Limited resources** – Nepal needs finance, technology and capacity from developed countries. #### Global efforts - **UNFCCC (1992), Kyoto Protocol (1997) and Paris Agreement (2015)** – emission cuts; Nepal submitted its NDC and aims at net-zero by 2045. - **Climate finance** – Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Loss and Damage fund (agreed at COP27, 2022). - **REDD+** – payment for reducing emissions from deforestation; Nepal has a carbon-payment agreement with the World Bank. - **Convention on Biological Diversity (1992), CITES, Ramsar Convention** – Nepal has 10 Ramsar sites. - **Montreal Protocol** – phasing out ozone-depleting substances. - **Regional bodies** – ICIMOD (based in Lalitpur) works on Hindu Kush Himalaya issues; SAARC cooperation; transboundary tiger conservation with India. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Nepal emits only about 0.1% of global GHGs yet suffers glacier melt and GLOF. What does this show? A. Nepal should cut emissions the most B. Climate change is caused globally, so the solution must also be global C. Glacier melt is a purely local problem D. Nepal does not need any adaptation Answer: B. The cause lies mostly outside Nepal, so only global action on emissions can solve it. (Key point: Why climate change needs global effort) 2. Which is an example of transboundary pollution affecting Nepal? A. Riverbed mining in Chure B. Sewage in the Bagmati river C. Smoke and haze from crop burning in South Asia, with black carbon speeding glacier melt D. Dust from Kathmandu roads Answer: C. Smoke and black carbon from neighbouring regions cross borders and reach Nepal. (Key point: Transboundary pollution) 3. Which pair correctly matches a global effort with its purpose? A. Ramsar Convention - phasing out CFCs B. Green Climate Fund - controlling wildlife trade C. REDD+ - payment for reducing emissions from deforestation D. Montreal Protocol - cutting CO2 emissions Answer: C. REDD+ pays countries for reducing deforestation emissions; the other pairings are mismatched. (Key point: Global efforts: funds and REDD+) 4. Which mitigation measure is listed for GLOF risk in Nepal? A. Sewage treatment plants B. Cleaner brick kilns C. Composting D. Lake lowering at Tsho Rolpa and Imja with flood warning Answer: D. GLOF is handled by lowering glacial lakes and by early flood warning. (Key point: Mitigation of GLOF) ## Related in Technology, Environment and Society - [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 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 - [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 and national environmental issues](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aglobal-and-nepal-env-issues) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4, asked 2× - [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× ## Related in other subjects - [Landslide causes and mitigation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fengineering_geology_ii%3Alandslide-causes-mitigation) — Engineering Geology II, chapter 5, asked 6× - [Mitigation measures of erosion](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fengineering_geology_ii%3Aerosion-mitigation) — Engineering Geology II, chapter 5 - [Global warming: meaning, causes, consequences](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_2%2Fengineering_chemistry%3Aglobal-warming-causes-consequences) — Engineering Chemistry, chapter 3 - [Floods: causes, effects and mitigation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fengineering_hydrology%3Afloods-causes-effects-mitigation) — Engineering Hydrology, chapter 6