Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel, currently leading a high-level Nepali delegation at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), hosted a crucial session today, spotlighting the severe impacts of climate change on mountainous regions.
Addressing the high-level session organized by Kyrgyzstan in the course of ongoing COP29 in Baku, today, President Paudel viewed the climate change sufferers are ensuring justice, an integrated approach is essential.
“The youths from mountainous countries have migrated elsewhere due to climate change impact, while the poor, women, children and elderly ones are suffering worst. The programmes to alleviate poverty and climate change would be launched together to address these twin issues.”
He further reminded that climate change is largely caused by the activities of carbon emissions by the developed countries, but the poor people from mountainous countries and bearing the brunt. “I hope the COP29 will be successful in guaranteeing justice to the victims,” President Paudel mentioned in the session.
As the climate change indicators are breaking records every year, the people in the mountain countries are bound to live in the harshest conditions, he said, adding that more than 35 households of mountainous Thame village of Solukhumbu district were displaced due to GLOF (glacial lake outburst floods) in Nepal last August. Similarly, the floods and landslides that occurred in the monsoon took the lives of over 500.
“The suffering and trauma the disasters caused in enduring. Proper evaluation and further preparedness is imperative to minimize the loss and damage,” he said.
According to him, as both Nepal and Kirgizstan are mountainous countries, they both share similar plights when it comes to climate change.
The event was also addressed by the President of Kirgizstan, President of Mongolia and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, among others.
Earlier, President Paudel had addressed the COP29 on Monday.
President Paudel also met with Maldives President Mohamud Muizzu, emphasizing the need for increased bilateral cooperation on climate issues. Both leaders discussed shared climate-induced challenges and explored ways to collaborate effectively in climate negotiations, strengthening their voices on the global stage.
Nepal has taken an active role in COP29 under the leadership of President Paudel, participating in the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, where Paudel underscored Nepal’s commitment to global climate efforts. His participation in this year’s conference follows an invitation from Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and reflects Nepal’s steadfast commitment to addressing climate change.
The COP29 summit has attracted leaders and climate experts from across the globe, including heads of state, vice-presidents from over 40 countries, and prime ministers from 35 nations, to foster dialogue and enhance cooperation in the fight against climate change.
