KATHMANDU, July 3: Making public the full text of a judgment, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the government to enact laws to address climate change.

Directing the government to enact necessary laws to mitigate the effects of climate change, the apex court noted that there is an urgent need to address the problems caused by climate change and urbanization in Nepal.

Though a division bench of the then chief justice Om Prakash Mishra and justice Tej Bahadur KC had handed down the judgment on December 26, 2018, the apex court issued the full text of the judgement on Tuesday.

The petition was filed on October 31 last year by advocate Padam Shrestha demanding a separate law to tackle climate change and effective implementation of Climate Change Policy 2011.

The order states: "There is an urgent need to address the adverse impacts of climate change and restore normalcy through enactment of necessary policies and laws and also address the issues created by urbanization and development of residential areas."

The apex court has also instructed the government to plant trees in public land, landslide-prone areas and slopes.

 
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