Kathmandu, December 15

The Ministry of Population and Environment is preparing to establish Environment Protection and Climate Change Council to address environment protection and climate change.

Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment Bishwo Nath Oli said that the council was being formed to implement National Pollution Control Strategy and Action Plan.

According to the ministry, the 41-member EPCCC will have prime minister as the chair, population and environment minister as vice-chair and population and environment secretary as member secretary.

The National Pollution Control Strategy and Action Plan also envisages establishment of Strategy and Action Plan Implementation Coordination Committee and Strategy and Action Plan Implementation Unit.

Although the Environment Protection Act-1997 requires the Environment Protection Council to hold at least one meeting annually, no such meeting has taken place for the last 18 years.