Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, widely known as ‘Prachanda,’ has announced his commitment to vocalize Nepal’s perspective on climate change impact directly at the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The Prime Minister addressed this during a program organized by the Nepal Mountaineering Association, where he received a peace torch at the base camp of Sagarmatha (Mount Everest).
Asserting Nepal’s position, Prime Minister Dahal emphasized that it is time for the nation to claim its rights rather than pleading for assistance.
He stated, “Nepal does not pay the price for anything it has not been involved in, so those causing carbon emission must be more responsible and compensate through the climate fund.” The Prime Minister stressed that in the global climate event, Nepal aims to assert its rights rather than merely seeking help.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation, Prime Minister Dahal is set to participate in the global climate event in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12.
He is scheduled to address the high-level session at COP28 on December 2. Key issues such as climate finance, adaptation, transfer of mountaineering technology and capacity building, loss and damage, and climate empowerment will be highlighted in his address.
Top priorities for the Nepal government include climate finance, the management of the loss and damage fund, mountaineering issues, emission reduction, and inclusion.
Prime Minister Dahal also announced plans to develop necessary work procedures for the growth and security of the Khumbu region, home to Sagarmatha.
Reflecting on the recent visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Khumbu region, Prime Minister Dahal described it as a significant contribution to globalizing the challenges of climate change faced by the area.
He recalled his address at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York, which centered on the impacts of climate change in Nepal.
Prime Minister Dahal affirmed the government’s commitment to constructing tourism infrastructure in the Khumbu area and initiating efforts to protect and promote Sagarmatha and Lumbini.
Special attention will be given to accelerating the construction of the road from Chatara to Lukla. Expressing gratitude to local levels for their efforts in opening tracks in the Khumbu region, the Prime Minister highlighted the crucial role of the Khumbu area in enhancing Nepal’s prestige on the international stage.
He urged collective responsibility to develop systematic tourism that safeguards Sagarmatha and Lumbini while making economic activities more dynamic in the region.
News Source: Rashtriya Samachar Samiti