September 11: Minister for Forest and Environment Pradeep Yadav has stressed on the need to develop green economy. Speaking at the Nepal Infrastructure Summit-2022 organised by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, Minister Yadav said that the country needs to adopt a framework to develop green economy in order to achieve development goals through minimum impact to the environment.  

“Developing infrastructure by minimizing impacts on environment is the basis of green development. We need to develop a model for development based on green economy,” said Minister Yadav, adding, “This will ensure development and also protect environment.”

The focus of all local units and provincial governments during the last five years was infrastructure development, said Minister Yadav adding that all three tiers of government must now focus on green development. He further s aid that the Covid- 19 pandemic has also taught the same lesson.

The minister said that infrastructure development is the pre-requisite for development of human civilization and economic prosperity. He added that infrastructure development plays a vital role in making human lives comfortable.

“The development of Nepal is negligible in terms of quantity and standard compared to the international level. Therefore, infrastructure development must be our first priority for economic prosperity,” said Minister Yadav.

He also said that the stakeholders need to pay special attention in preserving endangered flora and fauna while developing infrastructure in national parks and protected areas. Failing to do so will not ensure sustainable development, said Minister Yadav.

Minister Yadav added that the Government of Nepal has set an ambitious plan of generating 15000 megawatts of electricity by 2030 and this will serve as a strong basis of green development.

He argued that the country can achieve prosperity if we stress on e-mobility for the operation of transportation and railway services.

Minister Yadav claimed that the government has already achieved the target of expanding forest areas to 45 percent of the country which was supposed to be met by 2030.