KATHMANDU, March 14: Forest and Environment Minister Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri urged the global community to address the impacts of climate change. He highlighted the issue while attending the Ministerial Roundtable on the Interlinkages between Water Security, Climate, Nature, and Development in London.
Minister Thakuri reached the UK on Thursday to participate in the ministerial roundtable, which the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) had organized. The Nepali Embassy in the UK reported that he attended a Water and Climate Reception at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening, where King Charles III hosted the event.
Earlier that afternoon, Minister Thakuri shared Nepal's perspectives on water security at the ministerial roundtable meeting.
Ministers from various countries facing climate change and water insecurity, along with experts in water security, climate change, and nature, gathered at the event. Representatives from international organizations, including the World Bank, UNEP, UNICEF, IFAD, and the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, also participated.
Minister Thakuri outlined Nepal's initiatives to combat the life-threatening challenges that climate change poses to ecosystems and livelihoods. His secretariat reported that he also provided details about Nepal's upcoming Sagarmatha Dialogue.
Minister Thakuri explained that the Sagarmatha Dialogue reflects Nepal's effort to engage in multilateral discussions. He emphasized that the global dialogue would focus on "Climate Change, the mountains, and the Future of Humanity." He also highlighted Nepal's strong initiatives to raise awareness and gather support for addressing climate change challenges in the Himalayan region.
At the event, Minister Thakuri formally handed over an invitation letter to Baroness Chapman, the UK's Minister of State for International Development, Latin America, and the Caribbean at the FCDO, on behalf of Nepal's Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba. He also extended the invitation to Ruth Davis, the UK's Special Representative for Nature.
Nepali Ambassador to the UK, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, along with other officials, also attended the event.