Kathmandu, July 30

The government has registered Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol in the Parliament Secretariat stating that by ratifying the protocol the country would build a base to receive climate finance from national and international communities.

Kyoto Protocol was an outcome of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Kyoto, Japan on 11 December 1997, to protect earth from climate change. Nepal had ratified the Kyoto protocol in 2005. Altogether, 195 countries have ratified this protocol. This protocol required member nations to reduce carbon emission till 2012. Some of the countries met the deadline, but some of them failed.

At the eighth session of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) held in Doha, on 8 December 2012, countries that failed to meet the deadline were given a new deadline till 2030 to fully adopt the agreement.

“The Doha amendment had extended deadline till 2030 for those nations that are yet to control carbon emission,” said Maheshwor Dhakal, joint-secretary of Ministry of Forest and Environment.

“After eight years of Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, a recent Cabinet meeting decided that Nepal would be a part of the amended protocol,” Dhakal said. But Nepal’s Parliament is yet to endorse it. According to Dhakal, 129 countries of the world have already endorsed the amended protocol. The document stated that the Government of Nepal would not have short-term disadvantages even if the country didn’t endorse the agreement. “But in future, if Nepal takes part in carbon trade, it will not be on the priority to receive fund from Adaptation Fund Board. Being part of this agreement will help Nepal receive fund from organisations working in the field of climate change,” the document stated.

Dhakal said countries emitting more carbon should pay compensation to the countries not emitting carbon or emitting insignificant amount of the greenhouse gas. “If Nepal passes this agreement and becomes part of it, the country will receive fund from other countries,” Dhakal added.

Once the Parliament endorses the amended protocol the country can participate in carbon trading.

In the last six years, Nepal got $12.06 million for certified emission reduction. Last year the country got $3.69 million for certified emission reduction.

Dhakal said Nepal could get more support from international agencies after endorsing the amended protocol.

He also said the Paris agreement for climate change would start form 2020. “Doha amendment and Paris agreement will both help to protect environment,” he added.