COP31 kicks off today: Nepal seeks climate justice
लगानी न्यूज
Kathmandu. The damage caused by the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River on August 10 has caused deep pain to Nepal. It will take a long time to forget the pain.
{{TAG_OPEN_div_94} More than 1,450 people have lost their lives and more than 5,000 people have gone missing in the floods that reflect the horrific picture of the disaster. Nepal has suffered a physical loss of billions of rupees due to this. Before this injury could subside, the muddy flood in the Budhi Gandaki River of Gorkha on October 10 added to the pain.
Last year, the glacial lake burst and flooded the Lende River. This also caused loss of life and property. After a year, the floods in Bhotekoshi have caused unimaginable damage. Two years ago, a sudden flood with mud entered Thame in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu. The locals had not imagined that such a disaster would come. There too, the settlement turned into a river in a moment. Remembering the scenes of Bhotekoshi, Budhi Gandaki and Thame floods makes everyone’s heart break.
These incidents are just a representative scene of the Himalayan region being hit by climate change and the unbearable suffering of its people. The snow is melting in the mountains, the risk of glacial lakes is increasing, and the communities living in the lap of the mountains are paying the price.
Carrying the voice of these pains and climate risks, Nepal has participated in the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) that began in Antalya, Turkey from today. Nepal is demanding climate justice from the international community, citing incidents like Bhotekoshi, Budhigandaki, Lende Khola and Thame as examples.
A team led by Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal and Minister for Health and Food Hygiene Nisha Mehta has already left for Türkiye to address the COP31. Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment Geeta Chaudhary will leave for Türkiye on Tuesday. The inaugural session and technical session will be held at the COP. In the inaugural session of the first week, the heads of state, government and high-ranking political leaders of the 192 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention will be addressed.TAG_OPEN_div_86
Minister Khanal will address the inaugural session on behalf of Nepal. Minister Chaudhary will lead the technical session. Minister Mehta also spoke about the impact of the climate crisis on the health sector.TAG_OPEN_div_84
The team, including Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment Dr. Rajendra Prasad Mishra and Chief of Climate Change Management Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Dr. Maheshwor Dhakal, will participate in various side events, participate in technical sessions, address programs to be held at Nepal’s pavilion and advocate for Nepal’s interest in climate issues.TAG_OPEN_div_82
Similarly, Dr. Dharma Raj Upreti, Executive Chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), who participated in the COP, presented examples of climate-related disasters such as the Rasuwa Bhotekoshi flood of September 26 and the Budhi Gandaki flood of October 10. Climate experts Manjit Dhakal, Raju Pandit Chhetri, Yugan Manandhar and other experts participating in the COP will advocate on behalf of Nepal.TAG_OPEN_div_80
Similarly, leaders of various political parties, lawmakers, employees, civil society, representatives of government and non-governmental organizations and stakeholders present in the COP will also help to make the climate issues raised by Nepal more effective.TAG_OPEN_div_78
Before the COP, Nepal had also released its position paper. The status paper also continues the agenda of climate finance and the risks posed by climate change in the Himalayas at COP31, as in previous COPs. Nepal will need to take ambitious steps to achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial era.TAG_OPEN_div_76
Minister TAG_OPEN_div_74 for Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Geeta Chaudhary, said that Nepal would raise climate justice, mountain issues, loss and damage and climate finance as top priorities at the COP 31 that kicked off from today.
“Nepal’s national priorities and the realities of the climate crisis will be presented strongly to the international community,” he said, adding, “Nepal has already prepared a national position paper on climate change for COP31.” Nepal has given special priority to the common issues of mountainous countries this time. Nepal and Bhutan have jointly put forward the agenda of ‘1.5 degree Celsius temperature rise and mountain areas’. ”
Stating that the global warming has had a serious impact on the mountains, glaciers, glacial lakes and mountain ecosystems, Minister Chaudhary said that its impact is extending to agriculture, hydropower, food security, river systems and human life. He said that adequate financial resources, technology transfer and capacity development are necessary for adaptation in the mountainous region.TAG_OPEN_div_70
TAG_OPEN_div_68 He said that Nepal will also raise the issue of climate justice with priority. Minister Chaudhary said that although Nepal’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is low, it has been facing the effects of climate change disproportionately. He said that the human, economic and non-economic damage caused by the devastating floods and landslides in the Bhotekoshi-Rasuwa region will be presented to the international community.
“Countries affected by climate change should get just support. Nepal will emphasize that the countries affected by the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage should get easy, adequate and predictable financial resources,” Minister Chaudhary said.
This time, Nepal is preparing to set up its own national pavilion at COP31 and organize more than 40 side events. The Ministry is preparing to develop the Nepal Pavilion at COP as a common platform to showcase Nepal’s climate realities, local community experiences, youth, women, civil society, private sector and other stakeholders’ voices to the international community.TAG_OPEN_div_64
Nepal will host a high-level event on November 12 in collaboration with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan and Pakistan titled ‘Advancing the Mountain Agenda: Glaciers, Cryosphere and Resilience Under Overshoot, Shared Responsibility and Sustainable Financing’ to expand international cooperation on mountain issues.TAG_OPEN_div_62
Similarly, a side event on ‘Strengthening Mountain Resilience through Adaptation Finance’ will be organized in collaboration with Nepal, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan and ICIMOD. Minister Chaudhary said that these programs are expected to make the international debate on glaciers, cryosphere, mountain resilience and adaptation finance more effective.TAG_OPEN_div_60
He informed that Nepal and the Korean government are scheduled to sign a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) on carbon trade. Minister Chaudhary expressed the belief that this will create new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the field of carbon market development and climate reduction.TAG_OPEN_div_58
He added that Nepal’s participation was not limited to the government delegation but also the participation of civil society, local community, youths, women, private sector, experts and media.TAG_OPEN_div_56
He said that COP31 is not only an opportunity for Nepal to participate in the international conference but also to present the reality of climate crisis to the world, establish common issues of mountainous countries, strengthen the demand for climate justice and expand international cooperation and cooperation. Minister Chaudhary stressed the need for cooperation and constructive suggestions from all political parties, civil society, private sector, development partners, experts, community and media to effectively present Nepal’s national interests and climate priorities.TAG_OPEN_div_54
Dr. Dhakal, chief of the Climate Change Management Division under the ministry, said that Nepal will raise the issues of adaptation, loss and loss, agriculture and food security, health, climate finance and technology transfer. According to him, Nepal’s delegation is participating in the conference to raise the issues of climate rise, climate justice, international cooperation, emission reduction, carbon market, capacity development and just transition.TAG_OPEN_div_52
} Similarly, the status paper of Nepal has included the issues of gender equality, impact of climate change on children, youth, persons with disabilities, indigenous nationalities and minority communities, and climate justice.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Dr Upreti pledged to submit details of human and physical damage caused by climate-related disasters including the devastating floods in Rasuwa and Bhotekoshi to the international community and seek adequate compensation, assistance and advocacy for climate justice.TAG_OPEN_div_48
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