Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources

The technical paper of IPCC on climate change and water clearly shows that water resources especially fresh water resources are vulnerable and have the potential to be strongly impacted by climate change. The observational records and climate projects indicate that the impact will have wide-ranging consequences for human societies and ecosystems. The impacts such as increased in intensity and variability of precipitation is projected to aggravate the risks for flooding and drought in many areas, which in turn is likely to affect water quality and exacerbate many forms of water pollution.

The impacts of climate change will affect the livelihood of people globally. It will induce risks and vulnerabilities in the water using and influencing sectors. It will distress the sectors like health, agriculture and food security, energy, transport, water supply and sanitation, industry, mining, etc. Global environment changes observed throughout the previous decade can be credited to anthropogenically boosted climate change and the changes related to water include: sea level rise; melting of snow and ice; changes in the frequency and/or intensity of extreme weather events; changes to ecosystems and biodiversity patterns. Changes due to climate change are expected to further aggravate water-related hazards and water scarcity, increasing the vulnerability of socio-ecological systems.

The impact of climate change on water resources will be high and substantial in under-developed and developing countries of Africa and Asia compared to developed countries. Most of the people of Africa and Asia are engaged in agriculture and livestock and impact on water availability and quality will have significant impact in these sectors. This will reduce production significantly and aggravate the food insufficiency on the people residing in these areas. These regions will be incapable to adapt climate change due to very limited resources compared to wealthier nations who can import water if required. A rise of one degree Celsius would threaten water supplies for 50 million people in these areas and a rise of five degrees Celsius could cause in the disappearance of large glaciers in the Himalayas which would affect one quarter of China’s population and millions of India population.

Global Flood Resilience Program: Karnali Basin, Nepal

Source: Sumit Dugar

Water in Millennium Development Goals (MGDs)

Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, the United Nation Millennium Summit established an eight common international goals in its 189 country members (193 currently) following the adoption of the United Nation Millennium Declaration. The goals was established in the area of poverty and hunger; universal primary education; gender equality; child mortality; maternal health; HIV/ AIDS, malaria and other diseases; environmental sustainability and global partner for development. These eight different goals are called Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The summit developed targets and dates for achieving those targets. The member countries and at least 23 international organizations committed to help achieve the above mentioned millennium development goals by 2015.

Drinking Water in Millennium Development Goals

In goal seven (c) of Millennium Development Goals, there is a target which states that the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation will be reduced halve by 2015. After the declaration, the World Health Organization and UNICEF has started joint monitoring program to assess the achievement/improvement in water supply and sanitation program. These organizations defined the criteria of improved drinking water sources to allow for international comparability for monitoring the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). The World Health Organization and UNICEF joint monitoring program defines "improved" drinking water sources as follows:

American Congress Passed Water for the World Act

The American congress finally passed the Water for the World Act on 19 December 2014. For the last six years advocates and supporters have been making voices to step up and support Water for the World Act. The text of the bill is given in below link.

Text of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014

WHY Water??

Water is essential to health, social and economic development

    ·         Over 5,000 children die each day due to dirty water or poor hygiene.

    ·         Half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering water borne diseases.

    ·         Water-related diseases kill one child every 15 seconds.

    ·         1 Dollar invested in water/sanitation returns in 8 Dollars of economic growth.

Water is essential to feed the world

     ·                70% of the world’s water resources are needed for food production.

     ·         Producing food for the increasing world population will require 50% more freshwater.

     ·         Increasing competition for water and inefficient irrigation practices could 
         constrain future food production.

     ·          In many developing nations, irrigation accounts for over 90% of the water withdrawn.        

     ·         The cup of coffee you may drink while reading this page required 140 litres of water. 

प्रदूषणमुक्त सुरक्षित दीपावली र छठ

दीपावली र छठ मनाउने क्रममा पड्काइने आतेसबाजी र पटकाले वर्षेनि थुप्रैमा आँखाको दृष्टि गुम्ने, कानको जाली फुट्ने लगायतका समस्या आइपर्छन् ।

कतिपय बेला त सामान्य पटकाले समेत ज्यान समेत लिने गरेको छ । त्यसैले पटका पड्काउनै परे पनि सावधानीपूर्वक पड्काऔं । नत्र क्षणभरको रमाइलो जीवनभरका लागि पीडा नहोला भन्न सकिन्न । दीपावलीमा आनन्द उठाउनुस् तर विचार पुर्‍याएर । बम, पटका आतेसबाजी, फुलझडी आदि चलाउँदा विशेष ध्यान दिनुस् ।

युनिसेफका अनुसार विश्वमा वर्षेनि करिब साढे सात लाख व्यक्तिको डढेर मृत्यु हुने गरेको छ । त्यस्तो घटनाका लागि पटका मुख्य रूपमा जिम्मेवार रहेको छ ।

चिकित्सकहरूका अनुसार आतेसबाजी र पटकाले आगजनी मात्र हुँदैन बरु आँखामा चोट, आँखाको ढकनी च्यातिने, दृष्टि गुम्ने, हृदयाघात, रक्तचाप, दम, नाकको एलर्जी, ब्रोकाइटिस, निमोनिया, कानको जाली च्यातिने, टाउको दुख्ने र अनिद्रा लगायत हुन सक्छ ।

'पटकामा एउटा आवाजको प्रभाव र अर्को पड्काइ (ब्लास्ट) को प्रभाव हुन्छ,' त्रिवि शिक्षण अस्पताल, महाराजगन्जका नाक, कान र घाँटी विभागका प्रमुख प्रा.डा.राकेशप्रसाद श्रीवास्तव भन्छन्, 'तिखो आवाजका कारणले कानको भित्री नसा कमजोर हुन सक्छ भने पड्काइको प्रभावले कानको जाली पनि फुट्न सक्छ ।'

'अझ नसामा देखिने प्रभावको त कुनै उपचार समेत छैन,' प्रा.डा. श्रीवास्तव भन्छन्, 'जालीमा प्रभाव परेको छ भने कहिलेकाहीँ आफंै वा शल्यक्रिया गर्दा निको हुन सक्छ ।'

हिमाली क्षेत्र सौर्य ऊर्जा भण्डार

ऊर्जा क्षेत्रमा नेपालको पहिचान अब 'जलस्रोतमा धनी' देशका रूपमा मात्र सीमित हुने छैन। एक जापानी संस्थाको अध्ययनअनुसार नेपाल सौर्य ऊर्जा उत्पादनमा पनि संसारकै उत्कृष्ट क्षेत्र हो।
जापानको 'नेसनल इन्स्टिच्युट फर एड्भान्स इन्डस्ट्रियल साइन्स एन्ड टेक्नोलोजी'ले हालै सार्वजनिक गरेको अध्ययनमा सगरमाथासहित नेपालको हिमाली क्षेत्रलाई सौर्य ऊर्जा उत्पादनमा संसारकै उत्कृष्ट भनिएको छ।

हिमाली क्षेत्रको पातलो वायुमण्डल र भिरालो भूभागका कारण सूर्यको प्रकाश बढी प्राप्त गर्न सकिने हुँदा सौर्य ऊर्जा बढी उत्पादन हुने अध्ययनको निष्कर्ष छ। चिसो मौसमले पनि सौर्य ऊर्जालाई चाहिने 'फोटोभोल्टाइन सोलर सेल' हिमाली क्षेत्रमा बढी सक्रिय हुने प्रतिवेदनमा औंल्याइएको छ।
यसअघि तातो मरुभूमि भएको क्षेत्र सौर्य ऊर्जाको निम्ति उपयुक्त मानिन्थ्यो। अमेरिकाको दक्षिण-पश्चिममा पर्ने एरिजोना मरुभूमि प्राथमिकतामा थियो। भारतमा पनि प्रायः सौर्य ऊर्जा प्लान्ट राजस्थानका मरुभूमिमा छन्।

Our country

The glimpse of Nepal stupa.

beam of light on the land of Lantang Valley

हिजो थियन त के भो र आज छ,हिजो भएन र के भो र आज भएको छ,हिजो सुरुवात भएको थिएन आज सुरुवात भएको छ ,साथी हो कसैले हैन हामीले सुरुवात गरेका छौ,यो सुरुवात हो तर अन्त्य होइन,अन्त्य तव हुन्छ जव संबिधान आउछ,हामी तब सम्म जारी रहन्छौ जबसम्म हाम्रो संबिधान बन्दैन,हाम्रो आवाजलाई प्रत्येक कुम्पुटरको पर्दामा लेख्नेछौ,भित्ता-भित्तामा लेख्नेछौ र दबाब दिनेछौ ति ६०१ लाइ ,अब उठ्नुपर्छ साथी हो हामी धेरै सुतिसक्यौ र हामीले धेरै सहि सकेउ अबनी सुत्न थालेउ भने हामी कहिल्यै उठ्न सक्दैनौ र हामी सधै थिचिनै रहनेछौ.

सायद यो धैरेता र बिबेकलाइ कमजोरी र लाक्षी को संज्ञा दिएयो होला,नेपाली युवा को भूमिकालाइ अबमुल्यन गर्दै युवा महत्त्वो र सार आवसेकता को अबमुल्यन गरियो होला,सान्ति र संबिधान भन्दा सत्ता र कुर्सीलाई महत्त्वो दिने ति नेतालाई युवा महात्वो को पाठ सिकाउनु आवसेक छ,सान्ति र संबिधानका लागि युवा एकेबदत्ता सहित बाच्ने र बचाउने हाम्रो अभियान...

खानेपानी दिवस विशेष

विश्व खानेपानी दिवस सायद सबैले मनाउनु भयो होला । आम सरोकारवालाहरुले,स्थानीयहरुले,बुद्धीजिवीहरुले,राजनितीज्ञहरुले,पुरै देशवाशीभन्दा विशेष गरी अझ काठमाडौवाशीहरुले जस्को धाराहरुमा महिनामा १ वा २ पटक मुस्किलले पानी आउछ ।सायद धैरैले चाहिँ यो दिवस छुच्चा नेताको मिठो भाषण सुनेर मनाउनु भयो होला ।छुच्चा यो मानेमा कि यिनीहरु एकअर्कालाई गाली गरेर कहिल्लै थाक्दैनन् ,अनि मिठो भाषण अर्थात चुनावको बेलामा हाम्रा माननीयहरु भर्खर जन्मेको बच्चालाई समेत सम्बोधन गर्न बिर्सदैनन् ।सबैभन्दा अचम्म लाग्दो कुरा के भने हाम्रा नेता जहाँ पनि राजनितिक कुरा गरेर कहिल्यै थाक्दैनन् ,यतिसम्मकि यिनले मलामी गएका बेलासम्म पनि भाषण गर्न छोडेनछन् ,एकजना सर्वसाधरणले सुनाउदै थिए ।

अव त जाग्नुस्!!!!

भुकम्प जोखिम न्युनिकरणमा सदैव होसियार मुलुक जापानले भोग्नुपरेको प्रकोपप्रति दुख ब्यक्त गर्न चाहान्छु । यो चुनौतीपुर्ण घडीमा भुकम्पबाट जोखिम हाम्रा जस्तो मुलुकले पनि केहि सोच्ने की,कति कुर्सी भन्नुहुन्छ नेताज्युहरु??जुन देसमा एउटामात्र अन्तराष्टिय विमानस्थल छ , एउटामात्र वैकल्पिक राजमार्गको विकास छ , जुन राजधानीमा बत्ती छैन् ,खानेपानी अभाव छ ,अनियमित इनार र ट्यूवेल निर्माणले पानीको सतह घट्न गई काठमाण्डौ भाँसिने खतरा छ उसमाथी भुकम्पको तेतिकै जोखिम,के गर्नुहुन्छ त्यो कुर्सीले मन्त्री क्वाटरमा भुकम्प जाँदा टाउकोमा ओता लाउनुहुन्छ ??कि काठमाण्डौ भाँसिदा कुर्सीमाथी चढेर बस्नुहुन्छ ?? एउटामात्र अन्तराष्टिय विमानस्थल र वैकल्पिक राजमार्ग क्षतिग्रस्त भयो भने नि नेपाली जनतामात्र हैन तपाईपनि भोकभोकै मर्नुपर्नेछ खाद्यान्न र उद्धार अभावमा ,त्यतिवेला तपाई के कुर्सी चपाउनुहुन्छ ?? याद गर्नुस नेपाली जनताले तपाईलाई चपाउनेछन् त्यो वेला।।।।।

The agenda of World Environment Day is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

World Environment Day (WED) 2010 is aimed to be the biggest, most widely celebrated, global day for positive, environmental action.

Commemorated on 5 June since 1972, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

Through WED, we are able to give a human face to environmental issues and enable people to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.

WED is also a day for advocating partnerships among all stakeholders or perhaps, even more correctly, among all species living on this one planet and sharing a common future, in line with the theme of MANY SPECIES - ONE PLANET - ONE FUTURE.

There are an estimated 5 million to 100 million species on the planet! Scientist have only managed to identify about 2 million species so far. If you think about it, that means there is a huge amount we still don't know about our planet or whom we share it with. What we do know though is that humans are among only a handful of species whose population is growing, while most animals and plants are becoming rarer and fewer.

A total of 17,291 species are known to be threatened with extinction – from little-known plants and insects to charismatic birds and mammals. This is just the tip of the iceberg; many species disappear before they are even discovered.














The reason? Human activities. With our present approach to development, we have caused the clearing of much of the original forest, drained half of the world’s wetlands, depleted three quarters of all fish stocks, and emitted enough heat-trapping gases to keep our planet warming for centuries to come. We have put our foot on the accelerator, making species extinctions occur at up to 1000 times the natural rate. Let us consider carefully the actions each of us must take, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on Earth.

It is about time we took notice and did something to make a difference. Join thousands of people from countries all over the world in celebrating WED this year. There are literally thousands of ways to do something positive for the environment. You could organize a neighborhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and get your community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organize a collective tree planting effort, walk to work, start a recycling drive . . . the possibilities are endless.

-- UNite to combat climate change: Paint for the Planet - Home Page - UNEP --

-- UNite to combat climate change: Paint for the Planet - Home Page - UNEP --

Meltdown in Nepal

16 March 2010

The Burden of Thirst feature in National Geographic magazine's April 2010 special water issue examines water scarcity in East Africa, and covers WaterAid's programme in Ethiopia.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tina Rosenberg writes about how the water crisis in East Africa affects women, and what can be done to help communities establish their own sustainable water supplies.

Her article is accompanied by stunning photographs by World Press Award-winning photographer Lynn Johnson, who traveled to Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania to witness how the burden of water collection dominates women's lives.

She has never dared think that someday life could change for the better - that there could arrive a metal spigot, out of the end of which gushed dignity. Tina Rosenberg, National Geographic
The article showcases WaterAid's work in various regions of Ethiopia, highlighting a programme in the arid Konso region which is using innovative sand dam technology to establish a year-round supply of safe water.


Gale Deyknto collecting water from the Shekena pond in the Konso region of Ethiopia.
Credit: Lynn Johnson © National Geographic
Tina Rosenberg poignantly reflects on the difference that access to safe water will make to the life of Aylito Binayo, a mother of three from Konso who has to leave her young children alone while she spends eight hours a day fetching water. Tina Rosenberg writes: "She doesn't dream. She has never dared think that someday life could change for the better - that there could arrive a metal spigot, out of the end of which gushed dignity."

Lynn Johnson's photos feature the construction of a spring-fed gravity flow water network implemented by WaterAid that has brought safe water to the market towns of Ticho and Kella and surrounding villages in the Oromia region of Ethiopia for the first time ever, along with dramatic images of women walking to fetch water across barren landscape in drought-stricken Kenya.

The April issue of National Geographic is available from March 30, 2010.

life

First, life is worthwhile if you LEARN. What you don't know WILL hurt you. You have to have learning to exist, let alone succeed. Life is worthwhile if you learn from your own experiences, negative and positive. We learn to do it right by first sometimes doing it wrong. We call that a positive negative. We also learn from other people's experiences, both positive and negative. I've always said it is too bad failures don't give seminars. We don't want to pay them so they don't tour around giving seminars. But the information would be very valuable – how someone who had it all, messed it up. Learning from other people's experiences and mistakes.



We learn by what we see - pay attention. By what we hear – be a good listener. Now I do suggest being a selective listener, don't just let anybody dump into your mental factory. We learn from what we read. Learn from every source. Learn from lectures, learn from songs, learn from sermons, learn from conversations with people who care. Keep learning.