SC seeks DoE’s copy of climate change laws

Kathmandu, April 23

The Supreme Court today ordered the Department of Environment to present a copy of laws regarding climate change and its activities of implementation in the country.

The joint bench of Justices Mira Khadka and Dambar Bahadur Shahi ordered the department to present proof of written documents regarding laws and their implementation on April 18.

A case was filed by advocate Padam Shrestha against Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Ministry of Population and Environment and Department of Environment alleging that separate laws had not been formulated regarding climate change.

“Although I wrote an application letter to the Department of Environment demanding formulation of the law on protection of environment and climate change, it neither responded nor formulated the law. So I filed a case against the ministries and the department,” said Shrestha.

The court has ordered the department to present photocopies of  implementation activities related to Climate Change Policy 2011, National Adaptation Programme of Action and areas where work is being done and the present situation of the area.