September 20: The Government of Nepal is all set to organize the Mountain Advocacy Summit in Mustang from today (Tuesday). The two-day event is being organised by the Ministry of Forests and Environment with the objective to draw the attention of national and international stakeholders towards the issues and challenges faced by the mountain region due to climate change.    
Various organisations from home and abroad including the Food and Agriculture Organisation ( FAO) of the United Nations are participating in the event to discuss the impacts of global warming on mountain region and their effects on the low-lying areas.    
According to the chief of the Climate Change Division of the ministry, Buddhi Sagar Poudyal, Minister for Forests and Environment Pradeep Yadav and Secretary Dr Pem Narayan Kandel, among others, will be attending the event.    
According to him, the summit will bring together national and international experts, activists associated with climate change and biodiversity and government officials to share ideas on the issue.    
Dr Kandel said Nepal's mountain region if facing alarming impacts of global warming. As a result. the mountain region is hit by incidences of unusual rainfall and avalanches and is affecting the people's livelihood and bio diversity.    
According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, temperature in the mountain region is increasing by 0.08 degree Celsius each year. The consequences include an increase in the risk of expansion of glaciers and their outburst. But the issue is yet to get international recognition and attention, says Minister Yadav.    
It is said that the incidents of natural disasters are on the rise in mountain districts such as Manang, Mustang and Dolpa. According to Minister Yadav, last year's incidents of landslides and avalanches in Manang, Mustang and Sindhupalchowk might be due to the impact of climate change.  -- RSS