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PP RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHSL RUEHTRO
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271008Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
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INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 4953
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000074 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KGHG NP
SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE COULD SEVERELY IMPACT NEPAL 
 
KATHMANDU 00000074  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Due to its geographic location in the 
Himalayas, Nepal is likely to be substantially impacted by 
climate change.  During a meeting with leading environmental 
non-governmental organizations, private citizens, and the 
Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation, PDAS Moon urged 
Nepal to associate itself with the Copenhagen Accords.  The 
Minister and NGO leaders asked the United States to help 
address the fundamental challenges that will result from a 
changing climate.  End Summary. 
 
Copenhagen to Kathmandu 
----------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU) During the Copenhagen climate change conference, 
Nepal organized peaceful demonstrations to highlight climate 
change impacts on the mountains and people of Nepal.  These 
events (the highlight of which was a peaceful march) were 
well attended by the international mountaineering community 
and drew modest international media attention.  Despite these 
and other efforts, Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation 
Deepak Bohra complained that mountain nations failed to 
receive sufficient mention in the main events at Copenhagen. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) According to Minister Bohra, Nepal is trying to use 
its leadership of the group of 49 Least Developed Countries 
to elevate the importance of Nepal in climate change 
negotiations.  Nepal,s Prime Minister is trying to establish 
a network of "mountain countries" for future climate change 
negotiations.  Minister Bohra said the network could include 
Himalayan, Andean, Alpine, and other mountainous nations. 
(Note: Climate change will likely impact the Himalayan 
watershed in radically different ways, compared to other 
mountain ranges' watersheds, such as the Rocky Mountains. 
End Note.) 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Despite the lack of focus on mountain nations, 
Copenhagen represents significant progress towards addressing 
climate change, according to Minister Bohra.  Dr. Andreas 
Schild, director of the International Centre for Integrated 
Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - a regional research and 
development organization - emphasized the urgency and 
importance of addressing climate change and Nepal signing 
onto COP 15.  This view was reiterated and reinforced by 
World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Nepali climate change expert, 
Ugan Mandandhar.  PDAS Moon added that the USG has actively 
encouraged Nepal to sign onto COP 15, and emphasized the 
importance of world consensus to address climate change. 
 
Climate Change and Nepal 
------------------------ 
¶5.  (SBU) Several participants informed PDAS Moon that Nepal, 
and the region, is likely to suffer from climate changes. 
Changing weather and rainfall patterns will severely disrupt 
traditional farming practices, on which 66 percent of 
Nepalese depend.  Higher temperatures and lower precipitation 
levels will decrease the ability of high-elevation reservoirs 
of water (glaciers and snow fields) to provide consistent 
water to the more than one billion people living downstream. 
Impacts of climate change on high altitude environments are 
still largely unknown and awareness of these issues is 
lacking, something organizations like ICIMOD and WWF in Nepal 
are trying to change. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Minister Bohra reported that on December 4, 2009 
the Prime Minister held a well-publicized cabinet meeting on 
Mount Everest to highlight these threats.  Minister Bohra 
participated and stated the importance of drawing 
international attention to the impacts of climate change on 
Nepal.  ICIMOD and WWF representatives expressed optimism 
that increased levels of international assistance for climate 
change activities in Nepal could help mitigate the impending 
threats.  These experts see both adaptation and mitigation 
efforts as critical in Nepal, and have already started to 
undertake pilot activities in these areas. 
 
Glacial Lakes 
------------- 
 
KATHMANDU 00000074  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Increased glacial melt results in the formation of 
glacial lakes, which threaten to burst and cause widespread 
devastation.  Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), as they 
are called, have the potential to be extremely dangerous in 
Nepal, according to Dawa Sherpa, a mountaineer and climate 
change ambassador for Nepal.  Dr. Schild confirmed the 
threat, and noted that there is a lack of research and 
information about effective technical solutions to prevent 
GLOFs in the Himalayas.  There are over 200 glacial lakes in 
the Hindu Kush area, many of which pose a significant threat 
to Nepal.  Dawa Sherpa asked the United States and the 
international community to assist Nepal find and implement an 
appropriate solution to prevent GLOFs. 
 
Regional Issues 
--------------- 
¶8.  (SBU) Nepal is in a unique regional position, according 
to Minister Bohra and the NGO groups.  While Nepal's carbon 
emissions are minimal, neighbors India and China are 
substantial polluters.  Water originating in Nepal accounts 
for 45 percent of the annual flow of the Ganges River alone, 
and provides water to over a billion people throughout Asia, 
according to recent estimates.  Nepal is keenly aware of the 
importance of India and China in addressing climate change. 
Minister Bohra outlined a proposed government strategy to 
create regional dialogue to foster and coordinate regional 
solutions to climate change issues.  Minister Bohra made it 
clear that regional and international efforts are both a 
priority and a necessity to address climate change in Nepal, 
and said he looked forward to Nepal taking more of a 
leadership role both regionally and amongst mountain 
countries in upcoming international events. 
 
ORDWAY