Kathmandu: The Sagarmatha Sambaad, the international dialogue on climate action, sustainability, and global partnerships, themed “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity” kicked off in Kathmandu on Friday. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the Sagarmatha Sambaad amid a special function. More than 350 national and international distinguished personalities are present at the event. Foreign Affairs Minister and Coordinator of Sambaad Management Committee Dr Arzu Rana Deuba welcomed the distinguished guests attending the event.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said protecting mountains is to protect the earth, seas and the human civilization. While addressing the Opening Session, the Prime Minister said the event was named after the world’s tallest peak Sagarmatha and aimed to create a forum for holding honest dialogues and exchange learning on the issues of climate change, finding collective measures to tackle the situation. “Let’s hope, this Dialogue turns highly significant in forging collective understandings for building a beautiful future with high ethnical clarity, intellectual courage,” he said. He further said that Nepal has the least role in carbon emissions, the cause of climate change and global warming. “We have significant contribution to environment conservation. However, we face various impacts. Our houses are being swept away by landslides. The occurrence of floods and drought has been unusual, creating problems. We continue to fight back these developments,” he said.
On the occasion, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba described the mountains as humanity’s shared global resources. In her statement, she said the mountains are the source of fresh water to millions of people. Stating that the Himalayas are bearing the greatest burden of climate change-induced stressors today, she noted that the rate of glacier melting due to climate change effects has significantly increased. Minister Rana mentioned that this has negatively impacted the daily lives of the mountain communities. “Mountains store and supply freshwater, act as natural carbon sinks and are home to breathtaking biodiversity and abundant natural resources. They offer an array of sustainable climate solutions in the form of reforestation, watershed protection and eco-tourism,” she stated. Reminding that the climate change-induced disasters have shaken the very foundation of human existence and livelihoods, she said the floods and glacial lake outburst triggered by climate change impact has caused a big damage, and the droughts, water scarcity and forest fires has given untold suffering. “The Sambaad provides an occasion for reflection and introspection and aims to encourage meaningful conversations on matters that matter to us all, from the mountains to the seas, and from the Global North to the Global South,” she added. Noting that the Himalayas, in particular, are facing an unprecedented stress test in real time today, exposing not only the fragile nature of our mountain ecosystems but also a glaring evidence of the lack of meaningful global climate action, she said Nepal, as a mountainous country, is forced to face a heavy and disproportionate burden of the negative impacts of climate change. “Yet there are incredible examples of many local communities fighting strenuously against climate change. Women, indigenous people, youth, and marginalized groups- especially in mountain regions- are the gentle caretakers of our natural world. They fight on the home ground and they know how to fight a long fight.”
Nepal has committed to achieving the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Hydropower, a clean form of energy, has remained Nepal’s largest source of electricity.
“Climate change is a global crisis transcending national boundaries. Nothing less than a global alliance based on justice and solidarity can hope to make a dent on the existential crisis that climate change brings in its wake”, she mentioned, adding so we call for a sufficient and effective loss and damage fund that could be easily accessed by countries in crisis.
The Foreign Minister added that the world should acknowledge the vulnerabilities of countries like Nepal as well as support targeted mitigation and adaptation strategies through the provision of climate finance, adaptation support and technology transfer.
Sagarmatha Sambad will continue until Sunday.
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