COP26 concluded with notes for ‘to be continued’

PM Deuba put a strong voice on loss and damage

Leading the Nepali delegation to World Leaders Summit of the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) held in Glasgow, UK, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba address the global event on November 2. Addressing the COP26 he has raised concerns over the impact caused by climate change in the Himalayan region.

PM Deuba stated that rapid warming in the Himalayas had posed serious threats to food, water, energy, and human security of the entire region. “Thus, I urge world leaders to recognise the specific climate vulnerability of the high mountains and accord high priority to the mountain agenda in all climate-related negotiations,” stressed PM Deuba, adding keeping the global temperature below 1.5° C is very important for mountain people. PM Deuba underscored that Nepal had initiated hosting Sagarmatha Sambad – a dialogue named after Mt. Everest, in order to raise awareness of the climate crisis in the Himalayas. He indicated that Sagarmatha Sambad will be resumed.

Prime Minister mentioned that Nepal, although a Least Developed Country, was making efforts sincerely to balance development and climate actions. “We have regulatory mechanisms to ensure that international climate finance is channelled to support transformational approaches in implementing adaptation, mitigation, and disaster management actions together,” he added. PM Deuba also stated that all stakeholders including the private sector, indigenous people, disadvantaged communities, women, and youth in our climate actions in Nepal.

PM Deuba further informed that the government had decided to create a dedicated institution for working on Nature Conservation and Climate Change together. The PM also raised serious concerns over the loss incurred by the nation as a consequence of climate-induced disasters. He asserted giving a place to the issue of loss and damages caused by climate-induced disasters under Article 4.8 of the Convention. “We call upon the Parties to agree on making the loss and damage a stand-alone agenda for negotiations and support the framework of additional financing for it,” PM Deuba said, “The COP26 must ensure adequate adaptation aid for the most vulnerable countries by scaling up financial, technological and capacity-building support” he added saying “the goals could be achieved only via quick, direct, and easy access to climate finance.”

PM Deuba further called the parties to agree on a clear roadmap for a new collective, quantified and ambitious goal on climate finance before 2025. Moreover, the PM said that    Nepal was firmly committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. He said that Nepal had submitted an ambitious NDC that plans to decarbonise its economy in all sectors. “Nepal aims to reach a net-zero emission by 2045 by ensuring that 15 per cent of the total  energy demand is supplied from clean energy sources and maintain 45 per cent of the country under forest cover by 2030,”said the PM. He also mentioned the recent approval of the Long Term Strategy on Loss and Damage and National Adaptation Plan. We have   framed a policy to spend at least 80 per cent of the available climate finance to support local climate actions, said PM Deuba. He added, “We are reaching the most vulnerable communities through our Local Adaptation Plan of Action.” PM Deuba was of the view that with abundant water, forest, and biodiversity resources, Nepal could be a leader in sharing clean, green, and nature-based climate solutions in the region. He said that increase in extreme climate events had caused a huge economic and ecological loss to precious human lives. “Around 80 per cent of Nepal’s population is at risk from natural and climate-induced    hazards,” he said, highlighting that in the last 40 years, natural disasters had caused close  to US$ 6 billion physical and economic damages in our country alone,” he said. He also expressed his belief that the decisions made at COP26 should do justice to those affected now, the future generations, and Mother Nature.

Nepal’s voice was noted well in the event and said to be taken into consideration. The high officials representing the country were much engaged in dialogues and negotiations during the COP26 and sidelines.

The global event was held to discuss and agree on control warming of the earth where developed countries are expected to support under-developed and developing countries on adopting various measures to control the causes of climate change caused by global warming. Mainly developing countries who pollute the atmosphere most were expected to extend technical and technical cooperation committed with shift of timeline. Their commitment to reduce consumption of coal and fossil fuel was also not much encouraging to touch the 2030 deadline and 2050 deadline. Moreover, absence of leaders from China and Russia was one of the key elements that the COP26 remained far to be most effective. It is also to recall that big nations had pleaded USD 100 billion climate fund which was shifted to be materialised by 2023.That was a part of Paris Agreement took place at COP21 in 2015 AD. (By R. P. Narayan)