Govt told to tackle climate change impact through effective policies

KATHMANDU: The Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee of the National Assembly has directed the government to formulate comprehensive policies and robust regulations to counteract the mounting impacts of climate change while ensuring their effective implementation.

In the meeting held on Friday, the committee instructed the Ministry of Forests and Environment specifically to capitalize on its strides in safeguarding forests and allocate the resources acquired through carbon trading towards relevant initiatives.

Committee Chairman Prakash Pantha said that the meeting decided to urge the ministry to play an active role in international platforms like the United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as COP 28, to advocate Nepal’s environmental concerns. He underscored the need to foster international collaboration and highlight the country’s commitments in the battle against climate change.

Pantha also said that the government must institute efficient policies and regulations to facilitate the sustainable utilization of forest resources while simultaneously safeguarding biodiversity.

Similarly, Minister for Forest and Environment, Dr. Birendra Prasad Mahato, said that Nepal’s ability to effectively address climate change has been hindered by the absence of robust laws and comprehensive plans. He also said that funds allocated by development partners for Nepal’s climate sector through the Ministry of Finance have remained unutilized due to technical issues.  “We are lagging behind due to a shortage of manpower to work in the carbon center as well as research laboratories, he added.