Addressing a Ministerial Roundtable breakfast on “Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Global Sustainability” in connection with on-going High-Level Segment of the Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN in Geneva on Wednesday, Ghimire emphasized the need for addressing the constraints, vulnerabilities and challenges faced by the LDCs as they are issues of moral imperative before the world community. [break]
According to a press statement issued by Nepal´s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, Ghimire stressed that a host of problems faced by the LDCs, including marginalization, low productivity and productive capacity and the vicious circle of poverty can be overcome on a sustainable basis if appropriate knowledge and technology were made accessible to them for the solution to these problems.
While underscoring the vital role of STI in connecting people, accelerating economic growth and development and raising effectiveness in service delivery, Ghimire also said that promotion and application of STI play an instrumental role in empowering people, promoting good governance and reducing the cost of production. “Transfer of modern technologies and their diffusion as well as promotion and consolidation of indigenous technologies to bring a positive change in the life of the people is therefore very important,” he noted.
“New growth models based on maximum utilization of renewable energy, wherever possible, would help poor countries create the foundation of sustainable production and consumption. Giving example of Nepal, he said that it has huge hydropower potentials, which could be harnessed for domestic consumption as well as commercial use,” he further said.
Ghimire also stated that concerted efforts are necessary to create minimum technological platform in the LDCs for generation of knowledge and new technology. “The North and the rising countries of the South could help the LDCs catch up with modern technologies so that more employment opportunities can be made available for the youths,” he added.
Ghimire also expressed view that diffusion of environment friendly technologies at an early phase of development would be instrumental in reducing environmental pollution, wastes and degradation, which contributes to global sustainability. “Nepal is bearing a disproportionate brunt of climate change as compared to its negligible contribution to greenhouse gas emissions,” he said while mentioning that Nepal is rated fifth in terms of climate change vulnerability, and 13th in terms of disaster risks vulnerability.
Related story
Poverty: A Multidimensional Problem, Nepalese Context
