Perception of indigenous people of climate change and its impact on the Everest National Nature Preserve

Using interviews and surveys of 212 households in villages situated at different elevations in the Everest National Nature Preserve (ENNP), correlations and comparative analyses were employed to reveal the residents’ perceptions and understanding of climate change and its effects on the ENNP. Results showed that: (1) nearly all residents thought that climate warming and ice–snow landscape decrease were very significant, but there was an obvious difference between the residents’ cognition and observations to the change of runoff; (2) higher altitude is, more obvious warming is, and stronger residents’ perception of climate change and its impacts is in the ENNP, for which educational level and age were the main factors affecting their degree of perception; (3) especially, higher altitude is, more frequent the tourism participation of residents is and higher their income is; and (4) because the centralized pollutant treatment facilities have a low efficiency, and because the area receives a large number of tourists whose activities are spatially scattered, the potential risk of environmental pollution has been increasing in recent years. At present there is an urgent need for policy suggestions at the strategic level of national ecological security and interregional equity principles concerning the adaptation to climate and environmental changes in the ENNP. Landscapes with different altitudinal gradients (left), spatial distribution of glaciers and rivers (middle), and survey sites (scenes) (right) in the Everest National Nature Preserve (ENNP): 1, Quzong village; 2, Gabu village; 3, Zhabu village; 4, Jiapeng village; 5, Basong village; 6, Xisa village; 7, Kalong village; 8, Naicang village; 9, Pingan village; 10, Xiuxiuma village; 11, Sali village; 12, Chentang town; 13, Zangga village; 14, Riwu village; 15, Lure village; 16, Qugezong village; 17, Jiangpu village; 18, Saer country; 19, Jiangga town; and 20, Qiongzi village.