October 14: Nepal is preparing to attend the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the UNFCCC slated for November 7-18.    
During the session, Nepal being one of the countries highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change due to its sensitive geography, will raise issues concerning the impact of climate change on the mountain region with much priority.    
Climate change adaptation, damages and losses, and climate finance are among issues Nepal will be raising with priority.    
Study shows that Nepal’s highland has witnessed the temperature rise by 1.8 degree Celsius when global warming is measured at 1 degree Celsius, the major consequence of greenhouse gas effect.    
The impact of climate change on the entire mountainous economy and the ecosystem there, and in the low-lying areas will be the issues of priority of Nepal in the conference scheduled to be held at Sharm el-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt.    
The event was originally scheduled to take place from November 8-20 in 2021, but it was rescheduled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.    
Nepal will participate in the session with its special priorities on issues such as climate change adaptation and reduction, climate finance, specific issues of mountain region and financing for climate losses and damages, according to the Ministry of Forest and Environment.    
Chief of the Climate Change Management Division of the Ministry, Dr Buddhisagar Poudel, informed that Nepal is preparing to put forth the issues regarding global goals related to climate adaptation in COP27.    
Nepal believes that the developed countries should ensure climate grants and finance to countries like Nepal as per their expectations. In addition to this, Nepal will be demanding additional compensation for the losses and damages caused by climate-induced disasters.    
During COP26, Nepal made a pledge to achieve 'net zero' carbon emissions by 2045. ‘Net zero emissions’ refers to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere, according to the Climate Council.    
 

Climate Change and Environment Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr Madhav Bahadur Karki, said issues including assistances for financial cooperation, efficiency enhancement and technology development will be raised in the conference. Similarly, the management and transparency of the commitments done by developed countries to provide 100 million dollar to developing countries to fight the impacts of climate change by 2023 will also be put up.    
Nepal along with various countries in the world has submitted its NDCs report. NDCs represent efforts by each country to reduce national emission and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The conference will prioritise required resources for the implementation of the report. -- RSS