Global Climate Change and Nepal Sample Clauses

Global Climate Change and Nepal. 9 The average temperature of the earth's surface has risen by 0.74 °C since the late 1800s. It is expected to increase by another 1.8°C to 4°C by the year 2100 - a rapid and profound change - if necessary action is not taken timely. Even if the minimum predicted increase takes place, it will be larger than any century-long trend in the last 10,000 years. The principal reason for the mounting thermometer is a century and a half of industrialization: the burning of ever-greater quantities of oil, gasoline, and coal, cutting of forests, and the practice of certain farming methods. These activities have increased the amount of "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Such gases occur naturally - they are critical for life on earth; they keep some of the sun's warmth from reflecting back into space, and without them the world would have been a cold and barren place. But in augmented and increasing quantities they are pushing the global temperature to artificially high levels and altering the climate. Eleven of the last 12 years are the warmest on record, and 1998 was the warmest year. Climate change is a global problem and the least developed countries, particularly the poorest people are suffering the most from its impacts. The observations show that Nepal’s average annual temperature is increasing by 0.06°C per year. The temperatures in the high mountain areas are increasing with higher rates.