Samzdong, an isolated Himalayan village near the snow-capped mountains of Nepal, is running dry. In recent years, its longtime residents are making the exodus, leaving behind the elderly. Only nine people remain, including 65-year-old Bakki, who refuses to leave her longtime home.
Her daughter and grandchildren, unencumbered by the emotional grip of the beautiful mountain village, have started a new life in another village where there’s a better chance of making a living.
Bakki’s daughter, Sangmo Gurung, laments the separation: “I keep worrying if my mother is ill or how she is doing. So I suggested she sell her goats and move here with us. But she said that she will live there as long as she’s alive.”
Bakki’s family is one of millions of people in Asia, whose lives are deeply affected by climate change. To hear their stories, CNA climate change correspondent Jack Board travelled across the continent to five different ecosystems – desert, mountain, river, coral reefs, and rainforest.
In this podcast series, he tells us what is at stake for local communities whose lives are inextricably intertwined with the land, and the solutions required to tackle the climate crisis.
Here are some highlights of Jack’s journey:
IN MONGOLIA, NOMADIC HERDERS CANNOT OUTRUN CLIMATE CHANGE
Source: CNA
