KATHMANDU, Nov 21: Nepal is to raise the issues about the impact of climate change with top priority in the COP 24, the United Nations 24th climate change conference. 

Though Nepal is among the countries with the least contribution to the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, it is the most vulnerable to its impact. Nepal's GHG emission is around 0.027 percent of the global emission. The COP 24 is taking place at Katowice of Poland from coming December 2-14. The Ministry of Forest and Environment said it has geared up for participating in the conference. Nepal is a member party to the UN general conventions. 

As stated by Ministry's Climate Change Division chief Dr. Maheshwor Dhakal, a status paper has been prepared to go through several rounds of discussions with the government and non- government bodies concerned in view of the conference. 

The paper states about the issues that Nepal preparing to raise during the conference and other programmes, meetings and discussions sessions. 

Nepal is preparing to participate in the event under the leadership of President Bidya Devi Bhandari. The major issues to be presented on behalf of Nepal will be incorporated into the President's special address. 

Nepal is facing the problems of snow melting in the Himalayas, unreliable rainfall, skewed rainfall pattern and too much rain due to the climate change effects which often result in the occurrence of floods, landslide, desertification and drought conditions. 

Nepal has prepared to also present through its report the good practices that it has been carrying out towards supporting the economic status of the local people affected by climate change as well as in the areas directly related to their livelihoods such as protection of forests, soil conservation, water management, agriculture, fruit cultivation, and livestock farming. 

“We will raise the issues of climate change in the conference that will contribute to the concept of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ that the government has brought. We will pursue issues related to agriculture, biodiversity, development infrastructure, technology transfer, among other topics that are related to climate change,” he explained. 

The Heads of State are scheduled to give their statements on the second day of the conference. It is said so far the participation of the Heads of State of 30 countries has been confirmed in the conference. 

The ‘technical session’ of the conference will take place from December 4 through 8. Group discussions would be held on all the topics in the agenda in this session. The issues raised and deliberated on in the conference, including the participation and discussions at the political level will be given final shape and endorsed on December 9. 

COP 24 is more important as it is also preparing the guidelines for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. 

An agreement had been reached in the COP 21 held in Paris, France on 12 December 2015 to limit the temperature to 1.5 degree Celsius to prevent further rise in the Earth’s temperature due to global warming. 

It is stated that through this conference, Nepal will highlight the adverse impact of climate change on the economy of the Himalayan region as well as relating this to the marine economy. RSS

 
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