He said that climate change could jeopardize much of the store of the ice in the Himalayas which are the sources of most rivers in the region. Nepal stressed the need for sustainable use of resources and management of the rivers to deal with climate change problems.
During the conference, representatives from the South Asian region will share experiences and build a common vision for the future to deal with the problem of climate change and reduce its impacts in the region.
According to organizers, the main objectives of the conference are: provide a forum for the countries in South Asia for sharing knowledge and experience about climate change risks as well as the immense development opportunities that could be fostered, and forge a common vision of the Himalayan climate challenges. Representatives from Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are taking part in the conference that has been dubbed Kathmandu to Copenhagen.
Geography and high population densities have rendered the South Asian region especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Himalayas are the source of mighty rivers in the region that supply the world´s most densely populated flood plains, settled by over 700 million people. With climate change, the frequency and incidence of flooding is likely to increase. Climate change is also one of the reasons behind the decreased agricultural yields and frequent extreme climate events such as storm surges, cyclones, and floods.
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