Vertical Structure of Decision Making in the HimalayaCultural Perspective of HES Tutorial

Majka Baur, Lis Cloos, Miriam Kittinger, Eren Yesil

Outline

Introduction Environmental problems and their origins Vertical structure of Himalaya

Factors influencing decisions Examples

Individual position Community level

Discussion: HES framework Conclusion

Environmental Problems in Nepal

Deforestation and land degradation

Energy Situation

Urban Development and Pollution

Water Pollution

Vertical Structure

of the Himalaya

of the casts

Vertical Structure of the Himalaya

5 main levels of altitude

Tarai: 100-140 m Bhabar: 140-400 m Siwalik mountain range: 400-1200 m Himalaya premountain range: ~2000-4000 m Himalaya mountain range: ~ 4000-8000 m

Structure of the casts

Brahman: priests Kshatria: administrators Vaishya: farmers, craftsmen

Shudra: services to society Paria: unclean work

clean

unclean

altitude

Factors influencing decisions

external factors

OUTCOME society environment economy

Where are the vertical structures?

Factors influencing decisions

INPUT

Examples

Constrains and decisions of individuals

Decisons at a community level Example of responses to innovation

Cluster of choices that a working married man has to take about children…

How many children

24

13

5

male/female

children marriage“find a good family”

dowry/land/jobeconomic advantages?

social status?caste/ethnic group/origin village

“insurance” for old age

children futureschool

work

military

migration?

Economical burden or work alleviation?

Example - Responses to Innovation in an Insecure Environment in Rural Nepal

Location: Simiko, Humal Distric, Nepal

Example - Responses to Innovation in an Insecure Environment in Rural Nepal

Remote area High elevation Harsh environment Short growing season Food shortage Little trade High infant mortality

Political instability because of the Maoist insurgency

Example - Responses to Innovation in an Insecure Environment in Rural Nepal

Holistic community development project promoted by an NGO

Most urgent community needs:1. Elementary lighting2. Smokeless metal stove3. Pit latrine4. Access to safe drinking

water system

Example - Responses to Innovation in an Insecure Environment in Rural Nepal

Observation: In ethnic and occupational homogenous

villages, poorer families were more reluctant to change

Why? Higher social risk perception Less reserves in case of failure

HES framework

Possible Inconsistencies with the local worldview Hinduism:

everything is one Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the course of the world

Animistic origin: Nature = God -> don‘t harm nature Nature = God -> cannot influence nature

Are there such things as goals for SD, environmental awareness, feedbackloops?

Conclusion

Only with a deep understanding of the local cultures and the assotiated worldviews and perceptions there is a chance to promote a sustainable environmental management.

Any questions?

Thank you for

your attention

Literature

Haffner, W. (1979): Nepal Himalaya: Untersuchungen zum vertikalen Landschaftsaufbau Zentral-und Ostnepals. Erdwissenschaftliche Forschung Bd.12, Wiesbaden.

Chaudhary, R.P.(1985): The Nepalese Environment: Problems, Policies and Prospects. The Environmentalist, Volume 5, Number 1, 51-53.

ADB, ICIMOD (2006): Environment Assessment of Nepal – Emerging Issues and Challenges. Asian Development Bank/ICIMOD.

Mckay, K.H., Sanders, C. (2007), Responses to innovation in an insecure environment in rural Nepal, Mountain Research and Development.