Antalya:Nepal has inaugurated its national pavilion at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, emphasizing the country’s climate priorities, biodiversity conservation efforts, and community-led adaptation initiatives. Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal, leading the Nepali delegation, inaugurated the pavilion today.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the pavilion showcases Nepal’s achievements in biodiversity conservation and efforts to help local communities adapt to the growing impacts of climate change while reflecting the country’s climate ambitions on the international stage.
During the inauguration ceremony, Minister Khanal called for greater global attention to the mounting threats facing the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. He highlighted the growing risks associated with melting glaciers and other cryosphere-related hazards, describing the August 26 Bhotekoshi disaster as a “Himalayan tsunami.” Khanal stressed that countries like Nepal, despite their minimal contribution to global emissions, are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Minister Khanal emphasized the need for collective action, advocating for climate justice, easier access to financial support for loss and damage, stronger resilience in mountain regions, and greater protection for downstream communities. Minister for Health and Food Safety Nisha Mehta and House of Representatives member Sagar Dhakal also addressed the inaugural ceremony.
On the same day, Khanal attended the opening plenary of COP31, chaired by Turkey’s Minister for Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum. Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen presided over the negotiation process.
Additionally, on the sidelines of the conference, Minister Khanal held a bilateral meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart, Gedion Timothewos. During the meeting, Khanal expressed his appreciation for the solidarity and sympathy extended by the Ethiopian government and people following Nepal’s recent climate-related disasters. The ministers exchanged views on various issues, including climate change, sustainable graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, trade, air connectivity, tourism, and people-to-people relations, and discussed ways to strengthen the friendly and cooperative relations between Nepal and Ethiopia.