Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr Madan Prasad Pariyar, has reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to climate justice and its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.
Addressing the ministerial segment of the COP30 Climate Summit in Belém, Brazil, on Sunday, as head of the Nepali delegation, Dr Pariyar briefed the gathering on Nepal’s mounting climate challenges, including retreating glaciers, drought, unseasonal floods, and impacts on agriculture.
Urging developed countries to fulfill past commitments on climate finance, Dr Pariyar added that it is the duty of every country to submit ambitious NDCs, fulfill treaty obligations, and honor the ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate justice. He added that all parties, including emerging economies, must engage constructively to keep the 1.5-degree goal within reach.
He also underlined the urgent need to integrate a dedicated mountain agenda into UNFCCC processes, referring to the Sagarmatha Sambaad held in Kathmandu in May this year.
Before his address, Dr Pariyar interacted with stakeholders, both present in Belém and online, on progress made so far and the way forward. Participants were briefed on Nepal’s engagements in various agenda areas, including climate finance, adaptation, Loss and Damage, transparency, Global Stocktake, gender and mountains.
On the sidelines of the conference, Dr Pariyar participated in multiple engagements, including a meeting of LDC environment ministers and an event hosted by the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, where he outlined Nepal’s plans to expand clean-energy use, such as electric vehicles and electric ovens. He also joined ministers from the International Big Cat Alliance to advance cross-border wildlife conservation efforts.
As part of bilateral discussions, he met Ibrahim Cheikh Diong, Executive Director of the Loss and Damage Fund, to explore opportunities for Nepal to access financing for national climate-vulnerable projects.
