KATHMANDU, Nov 6: Members of Nepal's delegation to the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) briefed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane on the country's preparations and priorities for the summit.
A team comprising Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Agriculture, Forests and Environment Minister Geeta Chaudhary, members of parliament and climate experts met Lamichhane on Thursday evening to discuss the government's preparations and the issues Nepal plans to raise at the conference, which begins Monday in Antalya, Turkey.
During the meeting, Lamichhane urged all stakeholders to play their part in ensuring Nepal's effective participation at COP31 and to draw international attention to the impacts of climate change on the country.
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Minister Chaudhary briefed him on Nepal's participation, national preparations, the composition of its delegation and key priorities for the country's climate diplomacy.
She said Nepal plans to press developed countries to make stronger commitments to reduce emissions and call for accessible and predictable climate finance and technology transfer for least developed and mountainous countries. Nepal will also seek to include mountain-related issues in the conference's formal agenda.
Abhishek Shrestha, an adviser to Minister Chaudhary, said Nepal would work with Bhutan to bring mountain issues to the forefront of international climate negotiations.
Nepal also plans to highlight the links between glacier melt and rising sea levels, promote regional cooperation and early warning systems, and push for effective implementation of climate finance for loss and damage and adaptation, he said.
As part of its preparations, the government has organised a national climate summit and prepared Nepal's position paper for COP31. The document incorporates suggestions from government agencies, provincial and local governments, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector.
Foreign Minister Khanal will lead Nepal's 18-member delegation to the conference.
Nepal plans to raise the protection of the Himalayas, climate adaptation, climate finance and climate justice in discussions with the international community.
