Upon arrival, the prime minister said the issue of climate change is a matter of “global concern” and Nepal as a victim country will have its own demands. “Nepal as well as other Least Developed Countries have a common demand for major cut in green house gas emission,” the prime minister said at Kong Hotel, where he is being put up in Copenhagen.
Stating that the major rich nations have to make concrete commitment at COP-15 and also help the LDCs in fighting the impact of climate change, the prime minister said, “The focus will be in that sense in reduction and contribution from the rich nations, who are the greatest emitters of GHG.”
He added that COP-15 is a matter of “global prestige” and in case it fails to come up with a concrete commitment, it will be a “matter of shame” for the entire world community. He also said that the LDCs, including Nepal, will engage in “active intervention during negotiations,” thereby putting forth their demands very forcefully.
Stressing the importance that COP-15 talks have for saving the Himalayas from melting further, the prime minister said, “The talks hold importance for our Himalayas, forests and also in looking at alternative sources of energy.”
Along with his wife Gayatri Nepal, the prime minister is accompanied by Minister of State for Science and Technology Indra Prasad Dhungel, four advisors to the prime minister, eight CA members, chief secretary, Nepal´s representative to the UN Gyan Chandra Acharya, nine journalists and two Nepal Army security personnel. It is, however, unclear whether all the delegation members will attend the COP-15 meet on Wednesday as the nine journalists and CA members have yet to get accreditation from the organizer, the UNFCCC. The registration at Bela Center is said to be already over-booked and the Nepal embassy in Denmark has registration card for only 4 members of the delegation.
Interaction with NRNs, students
The prime minister is scheduled to attend an interaction with the representatives of Non-Resident Nepali community together with members of student bodies from Denmark later Tuesday. The Nepalese Students´ Network Denmark will present a 38-point concern paper expressing the problems of Nepali students in Denmark.
“We have made special request to meet the prime minister to express our concerns,” President of the Network Ranjan Ojha told Republica.
The students here have been demanding that they be treated at par with other students, tax reduction, increase in work hours, among others.
“We have been raising the concerns of the students with the embassy and have also requested the government to look into their problems,” Som Nath Sapkota, the president of NRN Denmark said. Given the hardship faced by the students here, and due to “uncooperative behavior” of the embassy, the students have suffered further.
Speaking to Republica Nabin Poudel, the president of Nepal-Denmark Student Forum, which was founded in 2004, said, “The main problem confronting students is the need to work harder to meet their expenses and the tax system here.” He added, “The government should set up mechanism to bring strict rules for those consultancies that send students here showing them big dreams.”
There are 615 students in Denmark as per 2008 figures. Some 120 students´ visa application is currently under process, the embassy here said.
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