PM expresses concerns over Climate Change effect

Kathmandu, Nov. 22: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed serious concerns over the deteriorating condition of the Himalayas due to the effect of climate change.

In a video address to the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Virtual Summit 2018, he said that entire downstream was threatened as the mountains were impacted by the climate change.

He said that the adverse impact of climate change appeared more prominent in the entire Himalayan region and posed a serious threat to the ecological system of the mountains.

“High-altitude plants and animals are losing their habitat and are forced to move higher, some species have already been extinct.  Availability of fresh-water for natural systems and for human use has been affected,” said PM Oli.

He said that extreme events such as desertification, droughts and crop failure had become more frequent.

“The Himalayan Mountains are the source of major river basins that extend down to the ocean. When these mountains are affected by the climate change, the entire downstream suffers. It has posed existential threat to small island nations,” he said.

According to him, the adverse impact of climate change cannot be addressed without fully recognising the organic linkage between mountains and the oceans. Conservation of mountains remains critical for the sustenance of lives and livelihood downstream.

“Climate vulnerable countries in group record least greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is an unpleasant irony that they have been the victims of the catastrophes that they did not contribute for,” he said.

Prime Minister Oli said that Nepal’s joining of Virtual Forum was inspired by its desire to combat climate change together and to contribute to enhanced collaboration, coordination, advocacy and knowledge-sharing among developing countries.

He stressed the need for a robust and matching response at the global level.

According to him, climate action should be launched in a concerted manner to limit the rise of global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius as envisioned by the Paris Agreement and scientifically reinforced by the IPCC Special Report last month.

Stating that access to climate funds and affordable technology was the key to any climate action in the developing countries, the Prime Minister demanded that implementation guidelines, which are being elaborated in Katowice, should treat loss and damage in the same footing as mitigation.

He said that Nepal considered climate change as the defining development challenge of modern time.

“We are working towards streamlining policies, building institutions, and deploying targeted interventions to reduce emissions, preserve biodiversity, protect glacial lakes and river basins, invest in resilience and even put a price on carbon,” he said.

The CVF is a group of nation states represented by their respective government leaders from around the world who act together on the concerns each share as a result of human-induced global climate change.

Founded in 2009, the Forum currently has 48 member states.

Due to increased scientific evidence indicating plausible existential risks for a number of CVF member states to be incurred in the event of failure to achieve the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a considerable global increase in national efforts as soon as possible, would be required to offer safeguard for the survival of most vulnerable nations.

The 2018 CVF Summit is organised as part of the Talanoa Dialogue, which serves as an agreed mechanism for the promotion of enhanced national action by all nations party to the Paris Agreement by 2020.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 November 2018.