The seminar attracted a packed hall at the Norwegian House of Literature in Oslo, where a number of experts were invited to speak on issues and research related to climate and environmental challenges in the Himalayas, with special focus on issues related to Tibet.
The seminar was organized by Norwegian Tibet Committee and the Norway – Nepal Association in connection with the upcoming International Climate Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) in December.
Among the speakers were Deputy Minister Mrs Heidi Sørensen, from the Norwegian Ministry of Environment and Mr Halvor Dannevig of the CICERO Center of Climate Studies.
The Deputy Minister started her presentation by voicing her concern for Tibet’s environment and consequences of climate change for the region.
Great risk for the whole region
Mr. Lobsang Dhargyal, a Tibetan having lived in nomad areas of Tibet till 2007, gave a presentation on the Chinese authorities’ repressive policies towards Tibetan nomads, and its social and environmental implications.
“Forcing half a million nomads to slaughter and sell most of its livestock and resettling them in bleak villages, has huge social and environmental consequences”, Mr. Dhargyal stated.
He further stated that “it is not true what the Chinese authorities say, that the nomads historic use of the grasslands dries out the soil. In fact the nomads and their animals use of the grasslands is very important to the sensitive ecology of Tibet. These policies are implemented for the Chinese to gain further control of the nomads in Tibet and to make way for mining and hydro projects.”
All the speakers agreed that the Himalaya region, by many referred to as the “Third Pole”, is very sensitive to global warming and climate change.
The mighty rivers in Asia, most of them sourced in Tibet, are at great risk of rapid receding. Such a scenario will have enourmous consequences, not only for Tibet and the Himalayan region, but for hundreds of millions of people living further downstream.
After the presentations, and a Questions and Answer session, the documentary film “Meltdown in Tibet” was shown (find trailer here). Raising disturbing questions of the “politics of water in Tibet”, the movie made a huge impact on the audience.
