Giving the example of Bhotekoshi floods in the CVF meeting, Minister Khanal said, “Highways, hydropower projects, schools and hospitals have been severely damaged.
लगानी न्यूज
Kathmandu
Minister for Foreign Affairs Shishir Khanal has said that strong cooperation between Himalayan countries and small island developing countries is necessary to strengthen the common voice of countries vulnerable to climate change.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said that collective efforts are needed to ensure climate justice at a meeting of the leaders of the Forum of the Countries at Risk (CVF).TAG_OPEN_div_58
During the meeting, Minister Khanal expressed gratitude to Barbados for effectively raising the voice of the countries on climate risk in the world forum and stressed the need for further intensification of cooperation between Nepal and Barbados.TAG_OPEN_div_56
Saying that the glacial melting in the Himalayas would contribute to the rise in sea level rise through the river system, Minister Khanal said the Himalayan and island nations were equally facing the impact of the climate crisis.TAG_OPEN_div_54
} “From glacial eruption floods in Himalayan valleys to powerful storms in the Caribbean, communities on the front lines are paying the price for their uncreated emissions through their lives, homes and decades of development gains,” he said.
Saying climate change has posed serious challenges in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, Minister Khanal said that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could not be achieved at the expected pace across the globe.TAG_OPEN_div_50
He said that although Nepal has made remarkable progress in the field of sustainable development, climate disasters have repeatedly affected the social and economic achievements made.TAG_OPEN_div_48
Giving the example of the Bhotekoshi floods, Minister Khanal said that the disaster that occurred in one go could cause serious damage to the livelihood of important highways, hydropower projects, schools, hospitals and local communities. “Climate change is turning sustainable development into a continuous struggle for the countries on the frontline,” he said.TAG_OPEN_div_46
Stating that Nepal was committed to nature-friendly economic development, nationally determined contributions and the goal of net-zero carbon emission by 2045, Minister Khanal said restructuring was necessary in five areas of the international development system. Stating that climate-resilient development should be accelerated as the first priority, he said that every infrastructure investment from transport infrastructure to community-based drinking water system should be made capable of facing climate risks.TAG_OPEN_div_44
He said that Nepal welcomes the operation of the ‘Lifeline Fund’ to provide financial resources quickly at a time when there is severe balance of payment pressure due to climate disaster.TAG_OPEN_div_42
Stating that reform of the development finance system was necessary as the second priority, Minister Khanal said that the climate-induced disaster should not turn into a debt crisis. Supporting the ‘Bridgetown Initiative’ and the ‘Vulnerability to Viability Compact’ initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Mottley, he stressed the need to make the provisions related to the expansion of concessional and grant-based financial resources and the moratorium on loan payment more effective.TAG_OPEN_div_40
Stating that investment should be increased in the forecast-based science and early information system as the third priority, he said the exchange of impact-based early warning systems, real-time satellite data and cross-border data should be extended from Himalayan glaciers to the sea.TAG_OPEN_div_38
Stressing the need to accelerate green and digital transformation as the fourth priority, Minister Khanal stressed the need for a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. He said that Nepal is ready to contribute to regional green transformation through clean hydropower and expansion of regional electricity transmission network, which can create new opportunities for digital economy for the youth.TAG_OPEN_div_36
Stressing the need to make the financial assistance related to loss and damage effective as the fifth priority, Minister Khanal urged the government to ensure new and additional grant-based resources in the Loss and Damage Fund. “It is not appropriate to address the pain caused by the disaster in the Loss and Damage Fund through repackaged business loans,” he said.TAG_OPEN_div_34
Minister Khanal said that for real restructuring of the development system, we should move from risk to structural resilience, from emergency humanitarian assistance to predictable development financing and towards deeper cooperation among the Himalayan and island countries through different efforts.TAG_OPEN_div_32
“Nepal is committed to working with Barbados and all members of the Forum of the Vulnerable Countries to strengthen our collective voice and ensure a shared secure future for future generations,” he added.TAG_OPEN_div_30
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्