MP Pramesh Hamal Stresses Strengthening Climate Diplomacy for Nepal

Kathmandu. Nepali Communist Party MP Pramesh Hamal has stated that Nepal needs to further strengthen its climate diplomacy to effectively raise the issue of climate justice in international forums. Speaking at a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee held in Singh Durbar, Hamal said that Prime Minister Balen Shah's participation in the United Nations General Assembly should be utilized as an important opportunity from the perspective of climate diplomacy. He emphasized the need to effectively present Nepal's current disaster and climate-related risks to the international community, noting that Prime Minister Shah is participating in the UN General Assembly as part of his first foreign visit. He stated that Nepal's recent disaster situation should be linked to climate justice and presented at the international level. He said it is necessary to present the issue of countries like Nepal, which have low emissions, bearing a greater burden of risks created by climate change, through facts and effective diplomatic initiatives to the global community. Hamal clarified that achieving climate justice is not easy and continuous diplomatic pressure is necessary to hold developed and influential countries responsible for mitigating climate change. He also recalled that Nepal has been raising the issues of climate change and the Himalayan region in international forums in the past. He mentioned that before the 2009 Copenhagen conference, then Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal drew international attention to climate change and glacier melting by holding a cabinet meeting at Kalapatthar. Speaking about the Prime Minister's visit, MP Hamal said, 'It is very pleasant and important that the Prime Minister is going to participate in the UN General Assembly. It sends a positive message that his first foreign visit is starting from such an important international forum and prioritizing climate diplomacy.' Wishing success for the visit, he added, 'I wish that his visit brings meaningful results in the current situation of disasters and suffering that Nepal is facing.' Explaining the state of climate justice, he said, 'Nepal has been raising this issue in international forums for a long time. However, the climate justice and financial assistance that Nepal should receive has not yet been easily obtained.' Emphasizing future strategies, he added, 'Therefore, it is necessary for the current Nepali delegation to intervene clearly and effectively on issues of climate finance, loss and damage, and adaptation.' MP Hamal stated that Nepal needs to make its international negotiations and diplomatic initiatives more effective to receive climate finance. He said that although discussions, research, and expert consultations are happening within Nepal, Nepal's intervention at the international level has not been as effective as expected. He stressed the need to present concrete proposals and priorities from Nepal's side in the high-level sideline meetings in which the Prime Minister will participate.