Kathmandu, February 15:

Nepal is set to mark the first anniversary of the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol by organising a series of programmes in the capital from Thursday.

The Climate Change Network Nepal (CCNN), a network of non-government organisations - the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC), JICA Nepal, Practical Action Nepal, UNDP, Winrock International, WWF Nepal, Clean Energy Nepal (CEN), IUCN and ICIMOD - working in the field of climate change in Nepal today published the programmes to mark the anniversary of the Protocol’s coming into force.

“We will soon launch a campaign to raise awareness among the general public about the direct impact of climate change and possible benefit Nepal can take from the provisions of the Protocol,” said Sandeep Chamling Rai, the Climate Change Officer at the WWF Nepal Programme.

Nepal submitted her instrument of accession to the Kyoto Protocol on September 16, 2005, which has unlocked Nepal’s possibility of reaping benefits from the Protocol.

The fact that Nepal has entered successfully into the Protocol brings challenges ahead for both policy makers and implementing agencies like CCNN. Occasions like Kyoto Protocol celebration marks commitment of policy makers and implementing agencies to gain the benefits of carbon trading and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Jiwan Acharya, research officer at the Winrock International Nepal, added that there are lots of ways from which Nepal can benefit from the Protocol and its provisions for countries like Nepal.

“On one hand the developed countries are emitting green house gases and causing climate change and on the other countries like Nepal do not produce such harmful gases but have to suffer from the adverse impact of climate change. Now, we need to fight for our rights and get paid for what good we have been doing for our beloved earth,” he said.

The network will hold an interaction on output of MOP 1, the special e-newsletter edition on Kyoto Protocol, broadcast special radio programmes and screen a feature film Day After Tomorrow to mark the occasion.