KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 16

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal asserted that Nepal deserves climate justice, as its role in the climate crisis is negligible compared to other countries.

'Nepal contributes almost nothing to global carbon emissions but is bearing the brunt of direct, disproportionate, and hazardous effects of climate change,' he reminded.

Addressing a conference on climate change and the role of parliamentarians in sustainable development on Friday, PM Dahal said that climate change is a significant challenge for maintaining socio-economic and environmental balance.

According to him, the climate crisis is emerging as a global threat, adversely impacting development prospects, especially in the least developed countries, which are the most vulnerable.

'Our citizens have been badly affected by climate change-induced disasters, such as landslides, floods, fires, avalanches, and droughts,' the PM said, adding, 'The citizens of countries at risk of such disasters are in dire need of economic and technical assistance, and the international community should pay heed to it.'

Dahal observed that significant financial and technical gaps exist in climate change reduction efforts and thus called for gathering more resources to effectively implement climate actions. He emphasized the implementation of plans that are compatible at the local level for climate adaptation.

The Head of Government held the view that there was a need for parliamentarians and policymakers worldwide to engage in dialogue to enhance advocacy on climate justice and secure a sustainable future for ecosystems, humans, and the Earth.

Emphasizing the enforcement of the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, the PM urged, 'I would like to stress the implementation of the Green Climate Fund to fulfill the USD 100 billion climate finance commitment, to give impetus to climate actions, and to simplify the access procedures for the LDCs to the Green Climate Fund.'

During his address, he also reaffirmed Nepal's commitment to securing clean energy and maintaining the 45 percent forest coverage in Nepal. 'Nepal is fully committed to the Paris Agreement. We are committed to achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.'