Outlook on climate change adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

National plans and policies for climate change adaptation

warning and response system for emergency events. India includes the environment and climate change in the framework of its National Environmental Policy, promoting sustainable development and social justice. Myanmar has a National Climate Policy and a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, and is currently awaiting the approval of six sectoral action plans from the President’s Office. Nepal launched its NAP development process in 2015 to address the country’s medium- and long- term adaptation needs, and is in the process of drafting its Environment and Climate Change Act. Through its Climate Change Act, Pakistan aims to establish a Climate Change Council to implement policies on climate change. To link national and global efforts, all HKH countries prepared intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) for the COP 21 in Paris in 2015. The INDCs comprised each countries’ planned efforts to mitigate climate change and strategies to adapt to climate change impacts. The INDCs were integral to the negotiation of the Paris Agreement. Through adopting the agreement, countries have committed to submitting NDCs to the UNFCCC Secretariat every five years, with the next submission due in 2020. In their NDCs, all HKH countries point out that the socioeconomic conditions, varied topography and existing climate of the region makes them especially vulnerable to climate change and related hazards. Furthermore, they all note flood and water management as climate change issues that particularly require adaptation measures, and drought is mentioned by all countries, except Bhutan. Given their high

dependence on agriculture, all countries also stress the need for better climate and resilience of sectors that influence food production. In their NDCs Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan include glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), India and Nepal address heavy snow and cold extremes, and Bhutan and Nepal express concern for mountainous areas. To achieve mitigation targets and adaptation measures, all countries – except China – rely heavily on foreign investment and grant support. It is important to note that the above-mentioned central policies provide “umbrella” coverage and support to the specific sectoral policies analysed below. However, there is a need to also examine all the existing policies and mechanisms that provide commendable support to the various sectors.

At the national level, all HKH countries have ongoing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and the region’s LDCs have developed National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs), excluding China, India and Pakistan. Some HKH countries have adopted or are currently developing policies and strategic instruments specifically designed to address climate change adaptation, while others are relying on National Communications (NC) to the UNFCCC and sectoral measures beneficial to adaptation. Most HKH countries have national disaster management committees, which have modified their disaster response from rescue and relief efforts to focusing on preparedness, through risk mitigation, reconstruction, sustainable development and early warning systems. In its National Development Strategy, Afghanistan identifies the environment as a cross-cutting issue and targets water, natural resource management, agriculture, energy and rural development as priority areas. As part of its seventh Five-Year Plan, Bangladesh provides strategic directions and a policy framework that considers climate change adaptation efforts to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty. Bhutan is the first carbon-negative country in the world and has identified water, agriculture, forests, disasters and health as areas that could be impacted by climate change. China outlines long- term approaches for addressing climate change in its National Climate Change Programme and National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, which include implementing mitigation and adaptation efforts, researching science and technology, increasing public awareness and focusing on the monitoring,

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