Braham Deo RayNASC, Jawalakhel

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Concept/terms of environment Basic understanding of environmental

system (Earth system/ ecosystem) Phases of Environmental Change and

environmental Pollution Global Environmental Management issues,

Environmental Management issues in Nepal (Brown, Blue and green sectors;

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What is Environment?

Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1997, Nepal, "Environment" means the interaction and inter-relationship among the components of natural, cultural and social systems, economic and human activities and their components “.

the term ”environment” is an all encompassing one, which means essentially everything around us including the conditions under which we live.

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- Land, water and air, including all layers of the atmosphere- All organic and inorganic matter and living organisms, and- The interacting natural systems (ecosystems) that include the above mentioned components

Bio-physical

Socio-economic and cultural

Built environment

Environment

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biotic

abiotic

plants and animals

lithosphere (soil, rocks), atmosphere (air and other vital gases) and hydrosphere (water)

SUN

material and energy cycling,

The energy flow from one trophic level to the other is know as a food chain

It involves one organism at each trophic level◦ Primary Consumers – eat autotrophs (producers)◦ Secondary Consumers – eat the primary

consumers◦ Tertiary Consumers – eat the secondary

consumers◦ Decomposers – bacteria and fungi that break

down dead organisms and recycle the material back into the environment

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The interactions of human beings with their environment have changed during the course of development of human societies

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"Pollution" means the activities that significantly degrade, damage the environment or harm on the beneficial or useful purpose of the environment, by changing the environment, directly or indirectly (EPA, 2053/1997)

Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat, or light.

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Sustainability Quality of environment Human well-being (health, livelihood)

Problems created by human activities – solution also lies with human interventions.

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Interactive system – need integrated approach

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EnvironmentHydrologyGeology Disruptions, etc.

Financial Tax and incentives

Legal ControlsStandardsRegulationsAgencies etc.

Technological ControlsPlanningBest TechnologyResearchPollution Control

Institutional system CapacityGovernanceetc

Society Public awarenessPoliticsCultural Patterns

Standard Setting Environmental Legislations Economic Policies Environmental Assessment Environmental Education Appropriate Technology

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Continuous improvement through feed-back

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PLAN

DO

CHECK

FEED BACK

Environment and development are not properly inter-linked.

Development cannot subsist(sustainably exist) upon deteriorating environmental resources and environment, in turn, cannot be protected if development does not take into account the environmental problems.

Failure to manage the environment and to sustain development threatened the very basis of our existence.

Thus, the issue of environment versus development has led to the concept of sustainable development

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Sustainable development is the concept of needs and limitations imposed by technology and society on the environment’s ability to meet the present and future needs.

World Commission on Environment and Development (WECD) has defined sustainable development as “a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations”.

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The concept of sustainable development leads us to new resource consumption strategies which are:- conservation or reduction of excessive

resource use,- recycling and reuse of materials and- more use of renewable resources like solar energy rather than non-renewable resources such as oil and coal.

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Eliminating poverty and creating human security;

Conserving the natural resource endowments(ability);

Securing the economic base; and Strengthening institutional system

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Water securityFood securityEnergy securityHabitat securityOzone layer depletionGlobal warming/climate change (Sea level rise)Acid rainGreenhouse gasesLoss of biodiversityNatural Disasters

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Nepal has an area of 147, 181 sq. km and an average north-south width of 193 km and east-west length of 850 km, is rich in biological diversity.

Within three main physiographic divisions; Mountains, Hills and Terai, the country have diverse environmental resources: water, forests, land, climate and weather, and biodiversity.

The country has enormous hydropower potential. Forests still occupy the largest proportion of the land area.

The diverse climatic condition makes it possible to grow wide variety of agricultural crops, and as mentioned earlier the country is rich in biodiversity.

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As is the natural resources, the distribution and density of population is not uniform among the Mountain, Hill and Terai plain of the country

The mountain and hill regions together account for nearly 77% of the total physical area, 50% of the total cultivated area and contain 48% of the total population.

The terai region accounts for the remaining 23% of the area and 50% of cultivated area but inhabited with 52% of the population.

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Since 1950’s, Nepal has experienced an ever-increasing flow of internal migrants, mainly from mountains and hills to the Terai

Between 1961 and 1981, the proportion of migrants increased from 4.5% to 8.6%. The deteriorating environmental and economic situation in the mountain and hill regions, coupled with relatively better socioeconomic conditions and the eradication of malaria in the Terai , have been three main causes of internal migration.

1981 onward marks the beginning of rapid growth in population, both rural and urban. The current population for the country is estimated nearly of 26.6 million.

This growth has put tremendous pressure, directly and indirectly, on the available natural resources in the country. As consequences both rural and urban sector has been affected.

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Due to the lack of capital and human resources, commitment on the part of the government, and awareness among the general mass of the people, coupled with recent political instability, the country has not been able to utilize the rich resources to the extent desired in proper way.

The resources are deteriorating instead. Landslides, soil erosion, deforestation, forest fires, etc have caused the land to deteriorate, water sources to dwindle away, rivers to flood, biodiversity to deplete, and people to migrate into urban areas and elsewhere.

As a consequences Urban areas have developed haphazardly creating problems of solid waste, water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, and others.

List the various Environmental issues of Nepal in terms of Causes, Impact and State; and forward measures to addresses the issues

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Brown sector/ Environmental Pollution

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Major causes of soil degradation are: Population growth, fragile nature of soil, rainfall intensity, and expansion of agricultural on the steep slopes, encroachment on forest or land use change, and construction of roads over hills.

Impact: Loss of fine soil, depletion of organic matter, Landslides and soil erosion.

State: High rate of erosion, low soil fertility, siltation due to floods in valleys

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Major causes: Rapid and haphazard urbanization (6.5% per annum), migration to cities from hill area, change in composition of waste due to change in life style and introduction of new materials like plastic, use of chemical fertilizers, lack of proper solid waste management facility and practice

Impact: ill health, water, soil and air pollution, aesthetic value deterioration.

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Major causes: Increase in energy consumption due to increase in transportation, expansion of industries, urbanization and population growth in the cities

State: Higher pollutants especially Total Suspended Particulate matter and Particulate matter (TSP and PM10) greater than national and WHO standard in urban city while indoor air pollution in rural areas, Atmospheric Brown Cloud etc.

Impact: Air pollution related health problem such acute respiratory infection (ARI), presents top five diseases, responsible for 30% death in children under five, reduce visibility (good visibility days down to 25 days/ month in 1992 from 27 days in 1970), eyes injury due to dust deposition.

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Major causes: Rapid growth of population and urbanization, increase in industries, development of agricultural infrastructure and irrigation, damage cause by land slides and flooding to water canals etc.

State: Water shortage-Total water demand 18 crore L/d, only 60-70% is fulfill, in the Kathmandu valley the pressure is even sever, as almost all of the head water sources were tapped already,

Impact: Water borne disease is increasing and top ten diseases

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Major causes: Population growth , increasing demand for fuel wood, fodder, timber etc, fuel wood constitutes almost 79 % of total fuel consumption, increasing number of livestock (10% livestock feed comes from forest, expansion of agricultural land, Bhutanese refugee camps in and around the forest, transboundary smuggling of timber/ log along India Nepal border

State: Change in forest cover was observed. Impact: Increase in rate of deforestation, threat to

biodiversity (increase in rare and threaten species many species of plants, butterflies, fish, insects, birds, and mammals have been listed as threatened, vulnerable, or rare (Sheathe and Joshi 1996; Suwal et al. 1995). Out of 32 rare plant species listed, 8 are already extinct (CBS 2003).

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Any Question?

11/2/2011Rejina Maskey,CDES,TU 34