Impacts of climate change on Urban Indigenous people of Nepal

Meghnath Dhimal, Nepal Health Research Council

Climate change has profound implications for the livelihood, cultural, economic, health, and social well-being of indigenous communities in Nepal. These impacts are deeply intertwined, affecting the livelihoods, traditions, environment and resilience of these communities. Indigenous communities in Nepal have deep cultural ties to their natural environments, which are increasingly threatened by climate change. For instance, the Loba community in Mustang has experienced disruptions to their agropastoral traditions due to changing weather patterns and resource scarcity. Similarly, the Chepang community in the mid-hills has reported shifts in their traditional farming practices, such as crop diversification and the use of hybrid seeds, in response to climate variability. Furthermore, dependence on natural resources, lack of financial assets, and weak social networks is identified as key determinants of vulnerability and which are often seen in indigenous people are mostly dependent on natural resources, lack financial assets, and have weak social networks which are the determinants of vulnerability as identified by the livelihood vulnerability index. Furthermore, climate change has exacerbated health challenges for indigenous communities particularly women and children. Though these people have adopted few adaptation strategies these are often short term and reactive, thus highlighting the urgency of more sustainable and transformative actions.

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  Presented in Session 132. Urban Indigenous Population and Health