Kathmandu- Nepal has started preparations for the 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP-28). The Ministry of Forestry and Environment formally started preparations for COP-28 on Shrawan 16. The upcoming conference will be held from Mangsir 14 to 26 (November 30 to December 12) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Nepal is producing a national position paper for COP-28, emphasizing problems including climate finance, adaptation, management of finances for losses and damages caused by climate change, mountains and mountain issues, emission reduction, and inclusivity. Dr. Buddhi Sagar Poudel, Joint-Secretary and Chief of the Ministry of Climate Change Management Division indicated that Nepal is taking several actions in line with the framework of participation.
According to the UNFCCC’s Secretariat, preparations are being made to prioritize issues such as energy transition and mitigation at the global level, efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, distribution of climate finance, an action plan to solve the problems of climate change on a natural basis, and full inclusiveness in the upcoming conference.
The COP will take place on November 30th, per the secretariat's plan. World Climate Action Conference on December 1 and 2, Health Relief, Rehabilitation, and Peace Session on December 3, Finance, Business, Gender Equality and Responsibility Session on December 4, Session on Energy, Industry and Transition Session on December 5, and Multi-Level Action on Urbanization Session on December 6 Sessions will also be held on transportation and environment creation.
Likewise, the sessions on youth, children, education, and skills will be held on December 8, nature, land use, and marine sessions are scheduled for December 9, food, agriculture, and water sessions are set for December 10, and final discussions are scheduled for December 11 and 12. Additionally, the secretariat announced that workshops on a variety of mixed topics will be held concurrently.
To prepare for COP-28, the Ministry has established a high-level National Coordinating Committee under the direction of the Forest Minister, a technical committee under the direction of the Forest Secretary, and a working group under the direction of the head of the Ministry's Climate Change Management Division.
In addition, Joint Secretary Poudel said that Nepal's national position paper will be prepared by forming thematic groups on climate finance, adaptation, loss, emissions, mountains and climate, gender youth, climate technology, etc. For this, the ministry has said that it will prepare a position paper by interacting with experts and scientists, federal parliamentarians, the private sector, federal and state government ministries, local and international non-governmental organizations, and the media.
"Nepal will participate in the conference at a high level and effectively," said Joint Secretary Poudel. An expert discussion group covering a variety of themes has begun to be organized. On this occasion, there will be bilateral, multilateral, and side meetings and discussions. There will be displays of excellent and noteworthy activities and accomplishments in Nepal's climate sector.
Nepal's own 'Pavilion' at the conference
At the COP-27 summit held in Sharm Al Sheikh, Egypt, last year, Nepal opened its liaison office there for the first time. A pavilion (The Great Mandala) that will cost Nepal roughly Rs. 80 Lakhs to build has been planned. The government is cooperating with several host nations, the UAE, and donor organizations for their expenses, according to Joint-Secretary Poudel.
According to specialists in this field, if Nepal can set up its own pavilion, it will be feasible to organize a variety of programs on Nepal's difficulties and it will be very helpful to demonstrate its issues. A subcommittee will be created to recommend the choice and registration of expert representatives. A subcommittee will also be formed to prepare and oversee the program that will be held in the pavilion. Nepal faced difficulty as it had to organize events in the pavilions of other nations and organizations because it hadn't yet had its own pavilion at the conference.
Manjit Dhakal, an expert on climate change, said that Nepal should use this conference as an opportunity to reduce the effects of climate change in its country and take compensation for it since the ICCC has received its full response. He expressed the view that Nepal should take the initiative to implement climate-related damage and the sidelines of the conference should be taken as an opportunity to gather resources for the country through various talks.
Additionally, he advocated that Nepal seize the chance to assume a leadership position at this conference given that it currently serves as the head of the group of LDCs. The government of Nepal should begin preparations by the Ministry with the involvement of all stakeholders, recommended Dhakal, who is also the head of the LDCs Group's climate advisor. Additionally, he stated that in order to talk at the conference in a concrete manner, preparation is necessary. As a result, the group's preparation as well as the conference's program should be decided.
Forest Minister Dr. Birendra Prasad Mahato stated that due to the lack of policy rules and mutual coordination, the expected achievements could not be achieved in the climate conference so far, and said that work is being done to ensure that there will be no such weakness in the future.
Mentioning that there is a lack of mechanisms, experts, technology, and laboratories to take advantage of the carbon trade, Minister Mahato said that preparations have been started to take full advantage of this too. According to Nepal's international commitment, although there has been a great achievement in wildlife and forest conservation, Minister Mahato said that now there is a big challenge in conservation. He said, 'We will face the challenge of increasing wildlife conflict, forests will have to be linked to the prosperity of the country, there are obstacles in the construction of infrastructure and development in the protection sector.
High-level participation from Nepal
Nepal has started preparing for high-level participation in this conference. The host country United Arab Emirates has already invited President Ram Chandra Poudel to the conference. Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Nepal Abdullah Saeed Mubarak Zarwan Al Shamsi met and invited him on Shrawan 16.
President Poudel received the letter from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, inviting him to the World Climate Summit. The "World Climate Action Summit," which will formally begin on the occasion of the Climate Conference, and the special celebration of the 52nd National Day of the UAE, which will take place on December 1 and 2, have both extended invitations to President Poudel.
The Nepali major level of the national government has only taken part in three conferences so far. The then-prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba led a high-level delegation to the 15th conference, which was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009, the then-president Bidya Devi Bhandari attended the 24th conference in Poland in 2018, and the then-president Madhav Nepal attended the 27th conference, which was held in Scotland, United Kingdom, in 2021.
According to experts in this field, the high-level representation will convey the message of how seriously the respective countries have taken the conference and it will have great importance in decision making and implementation. - Bhishmaraj Ojha/ RSS
