UN Secretary-General Guterres pledges support for Nepal’s climate challenges

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reaffirmed his commitment to raising global awareness about the profound impact of climate change on Nepal’s mountain regions. He engaged with the local community of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-4 Monday morning and discussed climate change and its consequences on the livelihoods of the local population.

During this gathering, Secretary-General Guterres undescored that the upcoming Climate Change Conference (COP-28) will prioritize addressing the effects of climate change on mountainous regions by incorporating insights from local communities. Lakshman Adhikari, the chairman of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-4, shared the perspective that affluent nations bear significant responsibility for global pollution, and it is disheartening that remote areas like Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality experience adverse consequences.

Guterres expressed his firm commitment to taking meaningful actions to alleviate the challenges posed by climate change and to convey this message to the world. Throughout the meeting, the local community apprised Secretary-General Guterres of concerns such as accelerated glacier melt, heightened climate-related damages, dwindling water sources and the impact of climate change on local agriculture. Furthermore, community members highlighted the lack of access to energy in the village and sought help for the development of small-scale hydropower projects. Accompanying Secretary-General Guterres on this mission is a delegation that includes UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Resident Coordinator for Nepal Hana Singer-Hamdi, and other UN officials.