In Pictures: people-powered climate adaptation in Nepal

High in the mountains of Nepal, warmer temperatures are contributing to the retreat of glaciers  and expansion of lakes with direct risks to people downstream. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) have the potential to release millions of cubic meters of water and debris, with flows up to 15,000 cubic meters per second.

Meanwhile, Nepal is seeing increasingly erratic rainfall: shorter more intense bursts of rain and longer dryer periods, impacting agriculture and water resources and driving risk of flash floods, landslides and erosion. 

With support from the GEF-Least Developed Countries Fund, UNDP and other partners, Nepal’s government has sought to reduce GLOF risks in Solukhumbu and floods in the Terai and Churia Range.

As well as strengthening the capacity of local and national institutions to respond, the project (2013-2017) placed emphasis on community empowerment in mitigation, preparedness, and early warning.

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