ambient air pollution due to construction projects, the high population which results in an increased number of vehicles, and bad conditions of the road lead to hazardous pollution. In Nepal, Diarrhea is the 4th leading cause of death. There is still limited systemic monitoring of the water system and water quality. Although 48% of households have access to safe drinking water, 38% still do not have proper sanitation, and 14% practice open defecation or have a lack of sanitation facility. Due to the lack of toilet facilities, inadequate sanitation, and solid waste disposal, children suffer from diarrhea and vector-related diseases. Deforestation Deforestation and land degradation appear to affect a far greater proportion of the population and have the worst consequences for economic growth and individuals’ livelihoods. Forest loss has contributed to floods, soil erosion, and stagnant agricultural output. Estimates suggest that from 1966 to 2000 forest cover declined from 45 to 29 percent of the total land area. Often cited causes of deforestation include population growth, high fuelwood consumption, infrastructure projects, and conversion of forests into grazing- and cropland. According to government estimates, 1.5 million tons of soil nutrients are lost annually, and by 2002 approximately 5 percent of agricultural holdings had been rendered uncultivable as a result of soil erosion and flooding. Land degradation is attributed to population growth, improper use of agro-chemicals, and overly intensive use of landholdings that are too small to provide most households with sufficient food. Since the late 1980s, government policies have attempted to address these numerous and related problems. Policies often are hampered by lack of funding, insufficient understanding of Nepal's mountain ecosystems, bureaucratic inefficiency, and sometimes contentious relations between the central government and local communities.(MFSC, 2000) Nepal had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.23/10, ranking it 45th globally out of 172 countries. Climate change Health impacts Environmental Health issues are a not major risk factors for the Global Burden of Diseases. The 3rd leading cause of death in low and middle-income countries is COPD, 5th leading cause is Lower Respiratory Infections and seventh is Diarrheal diseases. In Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. Diarrhea and Lower Respiratory Infections are the 4th and 5th causes of death respectively. See also National Trust for Nature Conservation References External links Ministry of Environment Nepal