Temperatures are rising, with warmer winters, and precipitation patterns are changing: rainfall is more intense and over shorter periods. Fruit and flowers are appearing earlier; vegetation normally found at lower altitudes with warmer temperatures is growing higher up the mountains. The three new reports show what this broad trend means for specific mountain communities in three of the 12 Indian states in the Himalayas.
Between July and September , the researchers assessed households in these areas of eastern Himalayas. They looked at four indicators of household vulnerability caused by climate change: income loss, crop loss, housing loss and overall livelihood loss.
The findings showed vulnerability across the board. The families surveyed were poor and earned a living from farming. The report found that every household in this sub-Himalayan region loses a significant amount of crops every year due to heavy rainfall or flooding — despite several adopting flood-resilient varieties.
Between and , cloudbursts stranded over 4. Smallholder farmers were particularly affected; they lease land from farmers with larger landholdings twice a year: during the monsoon season to grow rice and during winter to grow maize and potatoes. The report noted that the increasing difficulty of farming and limited employment opportunities was causing young men to seek work in cities like Guwahati, Delhi, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram.
See: In the Himalayas women are left behind in the changing climate. Another study, published in February this year , assessed farming communities at different altitudes in Himachal Pradesh.
The variations in the type of plants and animals found, which depend on the height, terrain and climate of each zone, give rise to different agricultural practices.
The scientists found that the Middle Himalayas are the most vulnerable due to the fragility of the landscape, combined with overcrowding of communities and socio-economic conditions. Communities in the lower zones are more able to adapt as they have better infrastructure and are less crowded.
A third study explored the social and economic vulnerability of communities living at different altitudes in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand.
It found that those living at 1,, metres above sea level in the mountain ranges of the west Himalayan state are the most vulnerable to climate change. The study, published in October by scientists from the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, surveyed households across four altitude zones.
About 3. With limited employment opportunities, communities at all altitudes are dependent on agriculture. All the zones are affected by climate change.
High population density also means greater demand for natural resources, putting pressure on the ecosystem. They said this was mainly due to heavier soil erosion, caused by erratic rainfall pattern and steep slopes.
Your friend will receive the article link on email mentioned. The Sherpas are an ethnic group that lives in the mountain peaks of the Himalayas, Nepal. They essentially guide people, who come with the aim of scaling the highest peak in the world, Mt Everest. Sherpas, unwavering guards of the Himalayas. Visual Stories Right arrow. Travel Beautiful getaways in South India that you can visit in December.
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Mount Everest is the highest of the Himalayan mountains, and—at 8, meters 29, feet —is considered the highest point on Earth. Photograph by Barry Bishop, courtesy of the National Geographic image collection.
Mount Everest is a peak in the Himalaya mountain range. It is located between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.
At 8, meters 29, feet , it is considered the tallest point on Earth. In the nineteenth century, the mountain was named after George Everest, a former Surveyor General of India. They climbed the mountain in and hold the record together.
British surveyors recorded that Everest was the tallest peak in the world in their Great Trigonometrical Survey of the Indian subcontinent. The Himalayan mountains have long been home to indigenous groups living in the valleys. The most famous of these are the Sherpa people. The Sherpa have valuable experience in mountain climbing, which they can provide to other climbers. However, their way of life extends beyond helping Everest climbers. Traditionally, their lifestyle has consisted of farming, herding, and trade.
And, because they live at such a high altitude year round, they are accustomed to the low oxygen levels. Climbing Mount Everest has become a popular expedition for mountain climbers. However, it is a dangerous undertaking. Climbing Everest requires a lot of experience mountaineering elsewhere, as well as a certificate of good health, equipment, and a trained Nepalese guide.
The snow and ice on the mountain create deadly hazards like avalanches, and there is only a limited climbing season due to bad weather conditions. But perhaps the biggest danger is the altitude.
Most climbers are not accustomed to the high altitude and low oxygen levels and rely on bottled oxygen they bring along. With more people has also come more pollution up near the summit as climbers often discard unwanted items all along the mountain.
Additionally, the Sherpa people have been exploited by climbers, and their traditional way of life has been disrupted by foreign climbers.
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