Description
Impact: Nepal’s vulnerability to climate change is high, due to its geographical conditions, which is further exacerbated by its low human development index. Under this context, indigenous people are especially vulnerable due to their close dependence on natural resources and their often weak socioeconomic condition. One such highly vulnerability community in the Himalayan region of Nepal is the Sherpa community who have long been the face of mountaineering guides and have established their livelihood around the harsh topography of the mountain. These mountain communities are at risk of melting glaciers and changing monsoons, which impact their agricultural and tourism activities that they are dependent on.
The adaptation strategies adopted by the indigenous community is very important in building their resilience against increasing impact of climate change and depends on their perception of climatic changes. In the case of Sherpa people in Lukla, this perception study shows that their awareness about the present climate change scenario is almost null, and therefore they do not perceive potential threats in the future as well. This differs drastically from literature and reports that point to the increasing climate change threat in the Himalayan regions. Therefore, the role of local authorities and corporate sectors is strong in bringing climate change sensitization programs in the area and to work for robust adaptation strategies.
