A REASSESSMENT OF THE CAUSES AND SEVERITY OF NEPAL ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

Accounts of the 1988 monsoon flooding of Bangladesh blame recent population growth of Himalayan farmers for the deforestation which causes upland erosion and lowland flooding. The research to specify and reverse these processes, however, has shown that: deforestation has deep historical roots and has been profoundly influenced by state policies; having many children is one of the few ways households can confront their poverty; and recent vegetation changes affect rates of erosion, mass wasting, sedimentation, and flooding much less than previously thought. The inclusion of political-economic as well as environmental factors not only provides a more accurate explanation, but also allows for effective policy initiatives.