Call for articles on Journal of Forest and Livelihood special issue on Climate Change Challenges in Nepal

There is now a scientific consensus that the earth’s climate is warming. There is also a reliable prediction that this change will have negative effects on the social-ecological systems worldwide. The projected impacts are too severe, impacting global population in significant ways: glacier melting, rise in earth temperature, disturbance in the regulation of hydrological cycles, reduction in crop productivity and food crisis, submergence of several countries, flooding and extended draughts and so an, and resulting economic, social and political tensions. Even the modest claims on the climate change impacts are alarming on a global scale. In view of such potential crisis, government, non-government and international actors have been deliberating over possible measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation for about a decade. Recently, largely under the UN initiative, efforts to devise measures for mitigation and adaptation to cope with this challenge have started, the most notable recent event being the 2007 Bali conference on climate change to find global, regional and national strategies.

Given the nature of economy and the ecological conditions, Nepal is poised to have difficult times due to climate change, unless proper measures are not taken. There have been some initiatives in the recent years to understand the nature of impact as well as develop necessary adaptation and mitigation responses. These initiatives are promoted by a range of government, non-government, international and bilateral agencies, though there is a lack of a clear and comprehensive assessment of the climate change problem. There is now an opportunity to learn from the experience to date, and to develop an understanding of how we can better organize ourselves in responding to this global threat. In addition, there is a continuing concern over the inadequacy of the response to date, as well as lack of necessary collaboration and coordination among the diverse agencies. Likewise, there is also a need to explore mechanisms to ensure the voice of socially excluded groups in the process of climate change policy development in Nepal.

The proposed special Issue of JFL will make significant contributions to climate change policy deliberations in Nepal, by critically examining the current knowledge, initiatives and gaps, as well as exploring options and strategies for improved participation of stakeholders that climate change will affect the most. Although of secondary importance, the analysis will also generate widely relevant conceptual insights into how climate change policy processes can be made more inclusive and equitable. Likewise, it will advance an agenda of policy change that focuses on deliberative interactions among all multiple groups of stakeholders around the issue of climate change.

Manuscripts are invited addressing one or more of the following questions:

• What knowledge (evidence, interpretation, interpretations) exists regarding the impact of climate change in Nepal? What are knowledge gaps?
• How can we diagnose the climate change problem at scales from local, national, regional (south-Asia-wide) and international levels, and over a reasonable span of time?
• What is the current level of effort in mitigation and adaptation measures?
• What innovative financing measures are developed worldwide and in Nepal, to mitigate climate change impacts? What opportunities exist for co-financing as well as other cooperation measures for mitigation efforts at regional/international scales? Who benefits from these mechanisms?
• How do different agencies understand, interact and develop agendas, evidence and arguments in the multi-level climate change negotiations?
• How are stakeholders divided in the axis of power and knowledge in climate change related discourses and negotiations?
• What opportunities exist for reframing development agendas in Nepal so as to better address climate change issues?
• How can government, non-government, international and private agencies work better to address the climate change issues at different levels? What are shared and differentiated roles of these agencies?
• What specific innovations and lessons have been developed with regard to policy and practical responses to climate change policy in Nepal? What policy recommendations do these innovations point to?
• How can those groups of people who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change cope with the consequences of climate change?

This special issue will be produced in collaboration with a few organizations (currently being explored and will be finalised soon). Contributions are invited from climate change scholars, activists, policy shapers and makers, and all interested in the issue of climate change and social justice in Nepal. Prospective contributors are requested to note the following:

• Articles should be within the limit of 6000 words. We will accept a maximum of 8 articles.
• Deadline for submission is August 19, 2008.
• Please consult a recent JFL article for bibliography and citation styles (or you may ask for author guidelines at forestaction@wlink.com.np)
• Prospective contributors are encouraged to share the plan of article through email before writing and submitting the article.
• Manuscripts should be sent to JFL editorial office at forestaction@wlink.com.np with subject “JFL-Climate Change-Manuscript”

This special Issue will be edited by Dr Hemant R Ojha (hojha@wlink.com.np) and Mr Hari Dhungana (suhit@wlink.com.np), with advisory inputs from an editorial board representing collaborators (to be constituted soon).