This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.
1 min Read
To discuss the extent to which open burning of agricultural residue and waste causes black carbon emissions and to explore mitigation options, a two-day long conference titled ‘Mitigation of Emissions from Open Agricultural Burning in the Wider Himalayan Region’ was held from 20 to 21 February in Kathmandu, Nepal. The event was jointly organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) with sponsorship from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
During the conference, Dr Jessica McCarthy of Michigan Technological University presented the monthly maps of fire hotspots detected by the MODIS satellite sensors from 2003 and 2013. The maps show the location and timing of large agricultural fires. Around the Himalayan region, burning is most prevalent in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan. Dr Arnico Panday from ICIMOD pointed out that while MODIS captures large fires under clear skies, it does not capture the small short-duration fires of piles of agricultural residue that are common across the HKH region.
In his presentation, Dr Svante Bodin from the ICCI stressed the importance of involving local communities in achieving environmental targets. He said that the CCAC scoping project in the Himalayan region would seek to “answer basic questions like where and when the burning take place, identify the crops that are being burned, the farmers’ reason/s for burning particular crops/lands, and possible alternatives.”
Experts from the region explored alternative methods and options to reduce open burning of the most common crops. They identified potential solutions such as conservation agriculture and other alternative agricultural practices, as well as the conversion of waste and residues to biogas, providing a local source of energy. Over 30 representatives of the scientific community, government officials, international organizations, farmers and farmer organizations, and other relevant experts in agriculture, air quality and health issues, adaptation and climate change participated in the conference.
Share
Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.
related contents
The 7.8 magnitude Nepal earthquake on April 25, 2015 and subsequent aftershocks caused more than 8,500 fatalities, nearly 22,500 injured, ...
ICIMOD, in collaboration with the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Nepal, trained fifteen participants ...
The team used two sets of instruments to measure particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide ...
A national consultation workshop on a needs assessments for SERVIR-HKH was organized in Kabul from 14–15 December 2015 by ICIMOD in collaboration ...
Countries seeking funds from the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programme need to develop a National REDD+ ...
The prestigious award recognizes efforts by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and its partners to build a ...
Twenty eight highly motivated journalists from eight countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region —Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, ...
While general awareness of worsening air quality in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) has risen in recent years, this attention ...