climateIMPACT

Impact of Climate Change on Mountain Environments

(co-funded by Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, Austria, 2011-12)

INTRODUCTION

The increasing effects of Climate Change are evident worldwide and it is frequently observed that Mountains are one of the most crucial physical regions affected by this process. Mountains function as early indicators of climate change and play several special and significant roles in reflecting the effects on natural and human environments. The economic activities in the mountain regions of less developed countries are quite different from those in the more developed countries. The societies living in the mountainous environments of less developed countries depend largely on the direct exploitation of natural resources. The recent climatic variations are causing degradation of natural environment and forcing several changes in the socio-economic systems.

OBJECTIVE
  • Develop institutional capacity by enhancing the understanding of Climatic Changes in the mountains through various indicators and assess their impacts on the natural and socio-economic systems.
ACTIVITIES
  • Organise a short intensive Faculty-Development Workshop in Bhutan
  • Disseminate the results through the participant level Conference in Bhutan
The reason for organising a short intensive multi-partner ’Faculty Development Workshop and Participant Level Conference' is to share the ’know-how’ regarding the monitoring of geospatial indicators of climate change in mountain environments among the participating institutions.

PARTNERS
 Organiser Institutions
AUSTRIA:
 - Austrian Academy of Sciences - GIScience, Vienna / Salzburg
 - Centre for Geoinformatics, (Z_GIS), University of Salzburg, Salzburg
 - Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, Vienna

BHUTAN:
 - College of Natural Resources (CNR), Royal University of Bhutan, Thimphu

Participant Institutions
AUSTRIA:
 - Austrian Academy of Sciences - GIScience, Vienna / Salzburg
 - Centre for Geoinformatics, (Z_GIS), University of Salzburg, Salzburg 
 - University of Graz, Graz
 
BHUTAN:
 - College of Natural Resources, Lobesa
 - Department of Forests and Parks, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Thimphu
 - Renewable Natural Resource Development Centre, Wangdue
 - Samtse College of Education, Samtse
 - Sherubtse College, Kanglung
 - Ugyen Wangchuk Institute of Conservation and Environment, Bumthang

INDIA:
 - University of Madras, Chennai

NEPAL:
 - Institute of Forestry, Pokhara
 - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Khumaltar
 - Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel
 - Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu

OUTCOMES (see the blog here)
  • the workshop was organised from 10 to 14-02-2012 at the College of Natural Resources (CNR), Lobesa, Bhutan
  • 20 teachers and professionals participated in the workshop (BHUTAN: 9; INDIA: 3; NEPAL: 8)
  • all the participants completed individual practical projects and presented in the concluding conference.
Contact: Dr. Shahnawaz, Centre for Geoinformatics (Z_GIS), University of Salzburg, Austria.