School of Sustainability Graduate Culminating Experiences
Student capstone and applied projects from ASU's School of Sustainability.
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- Creators: Boone, Christopher
- Creators: Christensen, Jill E.
Description
Multiple studies have reported potential risks posed by a rapid expansion of glacial lakes in the Mt. Everest region of Nepal. People’s perception of such cryospheric hazards can influence their actions, beliefs, and responses to those hazards and associated risks. This paper analyzes local people’s perceptions of cryospheric hazards and risks using a social survey dataset of 138 households in the Khumbu and Pharak areas of the Mt. Everest region of Nepal. A statistical logit model of categorical household data showed a significant positive correlation with the perceptions of cryospheric risks to their livelihood sources, mainly tourism. Local people’s GLOF risk perceptions are also influenced by their proximity to rapidly expanding glacial lakes and potential flood zones located in Dudhkoshi River basin. The emergency remediation work implemented in the Imja glacial lake by the Government of Nepal in 2016 has served as a cognitive fix, especially in the low lying settlements in Pharak. Uncertainties of cryosphere that exist in the region can be attributed to a disconnect between how scientific knowledge on GLOFs risks is communicated to the local communities and how government policies on climate change adaptation and mitigation have been limited only to awareness campaigns and emergency remediation works. A sustainable partnership of scientists, policymakers, and local communities is urgently needed to build a science-driven, community-based initiative that focuses not just in addressing a single GLOF threat (e.g., Imja) but develops on a comprehensive cryospheric risk management plan and considers opportunities and challenges of tourism in the local climate adaptation policies.
ContributorsSherpa, Sonam Futi (Author) / Shrestha, Milan (Contributor) / Boone, Christopher (Contributor) / Eakin, Hallie (Contributor)
Created2018-04-18
Description
The Carbon Reduction Transportation Initiative (CRTI) at Northern Arizona University (NAU) was created to improve both recruitment and retention
efforts while significantly lowering NAU’s carbon footprint. Through a collective subsidization between NAU and the City of Flagstaff, the CRTI would
be able to provide all NAU students and staff free access to public transportation. This initiative would also help to reduce the amount of traffic
congestion in Flagstaff’s downtown business district and free up valuable parking spaces both on and off campus. In addition, Flagstaff’s public bus
system, the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) would become eligible to apply for larger grants with the
anticipated increase in ridership. This would then allow NAIPTA to increase both the number and the frequency of bus stops which would benefit the
entire Flagstaff community.
efforts while significantly lowering NAU’s carbon footprint. Through a collective subsidization between NAU and the City of Flagstaff, the CRTI would
be able to provide all NAU students and staff free access to public transportation. This initiative would also help to reduce the amount of traffic
congestion in Flagstaff’s downtown business district and free up valuable parking spaces both on and off campus. In addition, Flagstaff’s public bus
system, the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) would become eligible to apply for larger grants with the
anticipated increase in ridership. This would then allow NAIPTA to increase both the number and the frequency of bus stops which would benefit the
entire Flagstaff community.
ContributorsChristensen, Jill E. (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-13