Kathmandu: “Our homes are swept away by landslides. Flood and drought strike suddenly but we still endure. Our carbon emissions are low, yet our contribution towards nature conservation remains significant.” It was what Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli reminded during the inaugural of the first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad in Kathmandu Friday.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the inaugural session of the event organized by the government effectively raised environmental issues and climate change-induced disasters facing vulnerable countries like Nepal. The dialogue and Nepal’s ambition to assume a leading role in environmental conservation were clearly reflected in the inaugural addresses of PM Oli and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba.
The Sagarmatha Sambaad, a multi-stakeholder dialogue, has finally come to fruition after eight years with the theme ‘Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity’. It is being conducted in line with the incumbent government’s Common Minimum Programme, the budget statement of the current fiscal year, and funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Forest and Environment.
It is notable that PM Oli convened a high-level gathering on Thursday evening to make the Sagarmatha Sambaad meaningful and relevant, as well as to forge a common understanding about the event at the national level.
The government decided on February 3, 2025, to organize the event to deliberate on pressing global environmental concerns and challenges, particularly climate change affecting mountainous regions and vulnerable communities. Initially scheduled for April 2-4, 2020, it was postponed due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The groundwork for the event was laid out during the first term of PM Oli, with former Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali holding a press conference on November 21, 2019, to discuss preparations. However, the event was postponed indefinitely at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
Then Foreign Minister Gyawali, participating in the Sambaad on Friday, took to social media to remind everyone of the early efforts to establish this event as a global forum to promote Nepal’s soft power. Chief Secretary of the government of Nepal, Ek Narayan Aryal, also present at the inaugural, stated that discussions would cover national and international environmental agendas to seek regional and global cooperation for climate action and justice.
The gathering includes foreign delegates from 40 countries and over 150 national distinguished personalities who will participate in plenary sessions, parallel sessions, roundtable discussions, and various sideline events. Aryal highlighted Nepal’s aim to strengthen its call for climate justice, explore opportunities for additional climate finance, increase access to technology, and enhance capacity through this event. Furthermore, Nepal seeks to create a common understanding among similarly affected countries and enhance advocacy for a unified global response to climate change.
The inaugural session witnessed a significant turnout of delegates, including Vice-President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, former Prime Ministers Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Jhalanath Khanal, and various ministers.