The popular Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples aims to enhance indigenous peoples knowledge on climate change so that indigenous peoples will be better equipped to participate more effectively in shaping relevant policies and actions taken to address this issue.

The first climate change conference of Himalayan nations was opened yesterday at Kathmandu by Nepal's prime minister Madhav Kumar with a warning about the dangers of melting glaciers, floods and violent storms for the region, according to a message received in Dhaka.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has called for joint effort from the South Asian countries to tackle the increasing impacts of climate change.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurating the regional climate change conference by lighting traditional oil lamp in Kathmandu, Monday, Aug 31 09. nepalnews.com/rh

Climate change may manifest significantly in Himachal Pradesh, with the impacts likely to adversely affect large percentage of the population depending on natural resources. A large scale shifting of forest biomes is being indicated. Himachal has to think of enough mitigation to avoid the unmanageable and enough adaptation to manage the unavoidable.

Currently, the main challenge is that the long-term, financially viable, widely available and environmentally safe alternative technologies are still under development in many fields. The research and development are fast but deadlines for compliance are also pressing.

Building greater climate resilience into the agriculture sector in Asia and the Pacific must begin with an understanding of the likely added risks and vulnerabilities the sector will face from climate change.

The Himalaya is one of the fastest changing regions of the world due to global warming. The mountains mighty glaciers, the source of large and important rivers such as the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra, are melting. In February 2009, Chinese scientists warned that glaciers on the Tibetan plateau are melting at a "worrisome speed", threatening South Asia's water supply.

This latest IUCN paper presents a vision for drylands that makes their sustainable development a global responsibility. Focuses on maximizing the opportunities that exist for sustainable dryland development and empowerment of local people at national and international levels.

Lack of international recognition of fundamentals of Brazilian history has arguably been a key factor leading to a clash of concepts of international responsibilities and national rights which has inhibited past conservation efforts in respect of Brazil

While efforts to integrate climate change adaptation will be led by developing country partners, international donors have a critical role to play in supporting such efforts as well as in integrating consideration of adaptation within their own plans and activities.This policy guidance paper advices on how to facilitate the integration of adaptation within development processes.

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