Kathmandu:The Parliamentary Special Committee on Climate Change Impacts in the Himalayas, Climate Justice, and the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Disasters has underscored the need for Nepal’s participation in the upcoming COP31 climate conference to yield concrete and measurable results.
According to National News Agency RSS, Committee chair Ganesh Parajuli, speaking at a meeting in Singha Durbar, emphasized that Nepal’s involvement in the conference should extend beyond formal diplomatic engagement. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing climate diplomacy and national interests. Parajuli insisted that representatives attending international negotiations must possess relevant expertise, adequate preparation, and the capability to effectively communicate Nepal’s priorities.
Parajuli, who also serves as the deputy leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Parliamentary Party, noted that Nepal’s pavilion and documentary presentations could effectively convey the damages caused by recent floods, landslides, and other climate-induced disasters to the international community. He also stressed the necessity of balancing presentations of disaster-related losses with positive messages that affirm Nepal’s status as a safe and attractive tourist destination.
The meeting engaged with the concerned minister, ministry secretaries, and the chief of the Environment Division to discuss Nepal’s key priorities and strategies for COP31. The Committee asserted that negotiations should promote Nepal’s national interests while considering the positions expressed by the Prime Minister at the recent UN General Assembly and by the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The parliamentary body concluded that Nepal must leverage COP31 to effectively advance climate justice, address loss and damage from climate-induced disasters, and protect national interests, ensuring the country’s participation leads to tangible outcomes.