Topic: Impact of Urbanization
Country: Nepal
Delegate Name: Oliver Bragdon
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Nepal position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
The nation of Nepal is going through a substantial rush of urbanization. Being a developing country, this fact comes with many benefits. However, with those benefits come challenges. These challenges may consist of negative environmental impacts in the surrounding areas as well as the risks of lowering the standard of living and living quality within these rapidly developing cities and towns. At a rapid 4% yearly urbanization rate, the Kathmandu Valley is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in South Asia, and the first region in Nepal to face the unprecedented challenges of rapid urbanization and modernization at a metropolitan scale.
These problems previously stated are not just merely bystanders in the urbanisation of this county. The Unplanned urban development in the Kathmandu Valley has led to rapid and uncontrolled sprawl; irregular, substandard, and inaccessible housing development; loss of open space, and decreased livability. It has also increased vulnerability to disasters, making Kathmandu one of the most earthquake-vulnerable cities in the world. These environmental impacts cannot continue on at their current rate.
Some current programs trying to aid these problems are the Urban Growth and Spatial Transition in Nepal: An Initial Assessment aims to foster evidence-based conversation on Nepal’s urban transition and help decision-makers in creating policies and interventions for addressing the challenges and seizing the benefits of rapid urbanization. The nation of Nepal believes thats these topics should take priority in these debates and that new laws should be put in place to curb these negative effects in our country.
