Kathmandu, January 11

The ministry of population and environment today made public a draft of the country’s nationally determined contribution, which identifies the actions the government intends to take under the recently agreed climate deal in Paris.

According to the ministry, the general public and concerned stakeholders have been invited to put their comments on the draft within seven days before submitting a final version of INDC to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its party nations.

The government realises the importance of reducing the impact of climate change and seeks to implement climate adaptation actions to protect life and life-support systems as well as improve the livelihood of climate vulnerable communities, the draft reads.

“By 2020, Nepal will formulate and implement National Adaptation Plan with a view to reduce climate vulnerabilities and integrate adaptation and resilience into relevant sector-specific policies, strategies, plans and programmes.”

By 2016, Nepal will finalise and start implementation of the Low Carbon Economic Development Strategy to promote economic development with low carbon emissions with particular focus on: energy; agriculture and livestock; forests; industry; human settlements and wastes; transport; and commercial sectors, it adds.

Nepal will maintain 40 per cent of the total area of the country under forest cover and forest productivity and products will be increased through sustainable management of forests, while emphasis will be given equally to enhance carbon sequestration and forest carbon storage and improve forest governance.

“By 2050, Nepal will achieve 100 per cent electrification through renewable energy sources having appropriate energy mix. Nepal will also reduce it dependency on fossil fuels by 50 per cent,”says the draft.

According to the draft, Nepal will strive to decrease the rate of air pollution through proper monitoring of sources of air pollutants like wastes, old and unmaintained vehicles, and industries by 2025.

“Nepal will develop its electrical (hydro-powered) rail network by 2040 to support mass transportation of goods and public commuting.”

Climate change has visible and pronounced impacts on snow and glaciers that are likely to increase the Glacier Lakes Outburst Floods as the number of glacier lakes has increased by 11 per cent and glaciers recede on an average by 38 square km per year, according to the draft.

Based on National Adaptation Programme of Action-2010, out of 75 districts, 29 districts are highly vulnerable to natural hazards such as landslides, 22 districts to drought, 12 districts to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, and 9 districts to flooding.

Nepal’s greenhouse gas emission is only around 0.027 percent of total global emissions. “Based on the Second National Communication (2015), GHG emissions from the energy sector is increasing trend, and this in the industry sector is almost negligible.”

Nepal also requires bilateral and multilateral grant supports to formulate and implement climate change related plans and programmes as well as to address climate-induced disasters in earthquake areas.

“Nepal will need technical and financial supports from development partners to provide relevant technologies and build its capacity to be cleaner and greener while flourishing as one of the top tourism destinations.”