‘Common resources under stress owing to climate change’

Kathmandu, June 4: A recent study report exposed that climate change was behind depleting water sources, a common resource.
The report titled ‘Youth-Led Evidencing on Common Resources and Decent Work’ gathered evidence on community resources in relation to employment. It was released by ActionAid International Nepal in Kathmandu lately.
The report surveyed 1,773 youths from 2,358 households of nine districts (Doti, Bardiya, Surkhet, Kapilvastu, Chitwan, Kathmandu, Makawanpur, Parsa and Siraha. According to the findings, 72.2 percent of households reported that they experienced increasing challenges in water collection and irrigation.
The study report concluded that 84.2 percent of the population in these districts has been impacted by climate change. There is a noticeable trend of rising temperatures and a change in rainfall patterns.
In response to the report, environmental expert Dr Roshan Sherchan remarked that the consequences of climate change were limiting access to public resources. “As the water declines in ponds, local residents, particularly women, face utmost hardships,” he stated, adding that climate change is affecting not only economy but also societal structure.
An officer at the National Human Rights Commission, Sumitra Rai, mentioned human rights and environmental rights are interrelated. Climate change was rendering disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, which is a worrying concern, according to her.

Head of Programme, Policy and Business Development at ActionAid International Nepal, Saroj Pokharel, spoke the importance of youth involvement in climate protection.