Kathmandu. Kathmandu: The ‘Hindu Kush Himalaya Parliamentary Meeting’ is going to begin on Monday for a common opinion, dialogue and coordination among the parliaments of the countries located in the ‘Hindu Kush Himalayan Region’. According to the committee, preparations have been completed for the meeting to be held in Kathmandu on September 15 and 15 under the auspices of the Federal Parliament, Agriculture Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee.

Parliamentary representatives from Nepal, India, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Pakistan will participate in the meeting to be organized with the technical support of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The Afghan government has not been invited to the meeting as Nepal has not yet recognised it.

President Ram Chandra Poudel will be the chief guest while Speaker Devraj Ghimire will be the special guest. The opening ceremony will begin at 9:30 am on September 15. President Poudel, Speaker Ghimire, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arju Rana Deuba, Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, Director General of ICIMOD Pema Gyamtso and dignitaries from different countries will address the function. Various technical sessions will be held after the opening ceremony.

The meeting will be attended by around 30 people’s representatives, parliamentary committee chiefs and representatives of the countries in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and experts related to climate change, air pollution and environment issues. In addition, relevant experts from partner organizations, federal parliament of Nepal and government officials will also participate in this program. The meeting is being held in coordination with the Ministry of Forest and Environment and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Coordinator of the organizing committee, Bir Bahadur Balayar, informed that preparations for the meeting have been completed and detailed discussions will be held on the impact, risks and opportunities in the Hindu Kush region on climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity.

“Climate change has had a major impact on the Hindu Kush region and biodiversity is also disappearing. We are going to do this program with the aim of taking common steps in time to reduce it. ’

In the context of the global community facing problems like climate change, biodiversity loss and air pollution, lawmakers from Hindu Kush countries have been tried to sit on one platform and form a common opinion to solve the problems, he said.

The Hindu Kush Himalayas are a biodiversity and culturally rich mountainous region spread across eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

Committee President Kusum Devi Thapa said that the meeting is being organized with the objective of exchanging knowledge, skills and innovative ideas for policy and law making and sustainable development among the parliaments of the hindu kush region. He believes that the conclusions will contribute significantly to the formulation of climate policy and climate adaptation, carbon emission reduction, regional strategy and program formulation in the coming days.

The Hindu Kush Himalaya region is facing various crises due to climate change, biodiversity loss and rapid socio-economic changes along with the effects of pollution. It is having a serious impact on ecosystems, natural resources, livelihoods and human life. The meeting resolved to raise the burning mountain issue in a common vision, active participation and proper manner at national, regional and global forums.

Joint-Secretary Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri, who is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the meeting would be helpful in enhancing parliamentary practice and understanding on major problems related to climate change, biodiversity loss and air pollution as well as common challenges and opportunities.

Nepal is one of the most vulnerable countries due to global climate change. According to the scientific study, the temperature of the mountainous region is expected to be 0.3 degrees Celsius to 0.7 degrees Celsius higher than the current and future global average temperature. Two-thirds of the mountain reserves in the region are expected to melt due to high temperatures, the study said.

Due to the changed climate, nepal has been witnessing massive changes in the nature, quantity and timetable of monsoon rainfall in recent times and the Nepali people are facing multilateral challenges due to climate-related disasters and disasters caused by such changes.

Chief of climate change management division at the Ministry of Forest, Dr Maheshwor Dhakal, said that adequate discussion would be held on not only the impact of climate change in the Himalayan region but also the possibilities and opportunities. “The main objective of the meeting is to identify and collectively address various environmental and socio-economic challenges and needs, possibilities and opportunities in order to ensure a sustainable future for the future generations,” he said.

Climate expert Manzil Dhakal said that it is important for the people’s representatives of The Hindu Kush region to come together to discuss and network the issue of climate change. “The Hindu Kush region provides critical ecological services, including water, food and energy, to nearly two billion people in low-lying coastal areas. “The region is facing severe impacts of climate change, disaster risk, biodiversity loss and pollution,” he said, adding that rapid socio-economic changes are seriously impacting ecosystems, natural resources, livelihoods and human life. In such a situation, it is a positive thing for the policymakers of the Hindu Kush region to come together and discuss this issue. ’

The programme is expected to help advocate more effectively for mountain issues at national, regional and international forums at a time when there is a lack of a regional common platform to discuss and collectively address environmental and socio-economic challenges in the Hindu Kush region.