Cry for Climate Justice from Annapurna Base Camp

The Annapurna Rural Municipality has raised a voice for climate justice from the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), calling for urgent measures to address the growing risks posed by climate change in the mountain region. The rural municipality, which suffered significant damage from floods, landslides and river erosion during this year’s monsoon, held a special village executive meeting at the ABC on Wednesday.

The Himalayan tourist destination is located at an altitude of 4,130 metres. Annapurna Rural Municipality Chairperson Bishnu Bahadur KC said the special meeting was organized to draw attention to the impacts of climate change in the mountain region and the need for climate justice, protection of the mountain environment and enhanced resilience of local communities to climate-related risks.

Floods in the Modikhola and Kimrung Khola rivers in August and September damaged infrastructure, including hotels and roads, while Birethanti and Syauli Bazar remain at risk. The washing away of a paved road also disrupted direct road connectivity between the tourist village of Ghorepani and Pokhara for 40 days.

The full extent of the damage caused by the disasters in the rural municipality has yet to be assessed. “This year’s monsoon has affected Annapurna Rural Municipality through floods, landslides and river erosion. In particular, erosion caused by the Modi River has inflicted significant damage in various parts of the municipality.

We have drawn attention at the ABC to the impacts on local infrastructure, agriculture, transportation, tourism and the daily lives of local people,” said Chairperson KC. According to him, the Annapurna region is a climate-sensitive mountain area that is directly experiencing the impacts of climate change.

Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns in recent years have added challenges to mountain ecosystems, biodiversity, glaciers and snowfields, water resources, agriculture and local livelihoods, he said. The meeting concluded that increasing risks of floods, landslides, river erosion and intense rainfall cannot be addressed through local-level efforts alone.

It called for necessary policies, technical support, adequate funding, access to climate finance, research and stronger intergovernmental coordination from the federal and provincial governments. Chairperson KC said the call for climate justice from the Annapurna Base Camp concerns not only the Annapurna region but also the Himalayas, mountain communities, biodiversity, water resources and overall climate conservation.

The meeting decided to prepare an Annapurna Climate Resilience Action Plan and incorporate it into the rural municipality’s policies, plans and budget after reviewing the overall situation of climate change and disaster risks, available data, and national and international priorities, according to rural municipality spokesperson Bharat Man Gurung.

Similarly, the meeting decided to assess climate risks and vulnerabilities in all 11 wards of the rural municipality and use the findings in risk-sensitive planning and land-use management. Spokesperson Gurung said the meeting also decided to undertake the necessary studies and establish partnerships and budgetary arrangements to develop an early warning and emergency communication system, making warnings of climate-induced risks such as heavy rainfall and landslides more effective.

The meeting also decided to develop climate-resilient infrastructure criteria and a risk assessment system for the construction and management of public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, trekking routes, drinking water facilities, schools and health institutions, taking climate and disaster risks into account. Likewise, it decided to maintain regular records of loss and damage caused by climate-induced disasters and gradually integrate available data on disasters, infrastructure, climate and tourism. (RSS)