Rishikesh Pandey
Climate change studies emerged since 1980s are dominated by natural sciences and studies of its impacts are imperialized by economics. Both of these schools are using positivist methodology so the findings are not translated to citizen science that laymen can understand. Social scientists have to believe that climate change is what the scientists tell, and its impacts are what the economists tell. Social scientists are yet to study social dimensions of climate change at wider context; though climate change is typically a social problem. The climate is constructed through the interaction of social and ecological systems and the change in the climate system is associated with the societies’ actions and behaviours. Hence, whatever the lenses: environmental, economic or political is used; climate change studies should not exclude the society as a part. The changes in climate system are global, though the rate of change has spatial characteristics and it is highly uncertain. Climate change defies international boundaries so many developing countries including Nepal are at greater risk of its impacts despite their poor contribution in the GHG emission. The social-ecological systems of the Himalaya are highly climate sensitive, mean a while, the Himalaya is experiencing an abrupt level of climate change. Therefore, climate change study through social perspective becomes crucial. The IPCC has recognized anthropogenic activities as the main driving factors of climate change; and sociologists in Western academia are engaging on the study of climate change since many years. However, in Nepal sociologists are still reluctant to engage in this field. Also, the sociologists in Nepal often ignore society’s embeddedness with nature and do not sufficiently engage on studying social-ecological interactions. Sociologists have narrowed the field of social-ecological studies by prioritising the concept of cultural ecology in the social-anthropology. In these contexts, this research is conducted to investigate the dynamic interactions between society and ecology since both of them are facing the impacts of climate change.
A comparative study of different ecological zones (Trans-Himalaya, Middle-Mountain, Tarai) of Nepal is made. Study analysed climate change perceptions, impacts and vulnerability, and adaptation strategies and adaptation barriers experienced by the farming communities. The findings are derived from primary information. Field work was conducted April-September 2013. Household Survey, Focus Group Discussions, Key Informants Interview, and Historical Timeline Calendars were applied to collect primary information. The findings illustrate that the farming communities have perceived the changes in climate system and experienced notable impacts of the change in their way of life. Communities have attempted to adapt with the change and minimize the loss. However, adopted strategies have produced both negative and positive results, depending on the nature of the pressure experienced by particular resource. The farmers also have experienced numbers of adaptation barriers. Poor support from the authorities for adaptation, increased uncertainties in the change, and climate change induced impacts to livelihood system that has already reached its sustainability threshold. Hence, the marginal livelihoods of farming communities have challenged the sustainability of the social-ecological system of the Himalaya.
Keywords: Climate Change, Himalaya, Nepal, Social Ecology, Livelihoods, Perception, Vulnerability, Adaptation