KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Madhav Nepal, who has set out for the UN General Assembly on Sunday, is scheduled to discuss the climate change issue with US President Barack Obama.

But, if any participating head of states, seemingly worried about the climate change impacts on the Himalayas, attempts to browse through the Nepal government’s portal to gather related information, then they will be nonplussed.

The Ministry of Environment (MoE) — the focal ministry of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) — does not possess its own website ever since its inception two months ago. The (MoE) got its sole identity separating from the then Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology in July.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has given the link of MoE as www.moenv.gov.np but the efforts to open the portal will be futile. “It’s one of the good examples how our government system works,” said one of the ministry staffers requesting not

to be named.

“Climate change is a hot topic across the globe and the executive head of the nation is scheduled to talk about the same issue with top profile leaders. But, it’s shameful to say the country’s focal ministry has not created its own website,” said Naresh Subedi, a visitor on the MoE premises.

Providing information about the climate change, pollution monitoring, environmental impact assessment are some of the important responsibilities but the general public cannot get any information through the website. “It’s shameful to talk about e-governance amid such a situation,” added Subedi.

“After failing to accumulate information on government’s efforts on it through the website, I tried to get some publication for my Master’s degree research. And here too, the ministry doesn’t have a single publication,” said Suman Karki of Tribhuvan University.

She also wondered over the possibility of availing oneself of the opportunity to receive email response from the authorities.