November 19: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said he would put forth Nepal's views and stand on the impacts of climate change straightforwardly in the upcoming UN climate event, COP28.    
The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in the UAE from November 30 to December 12.
Addressing a programme organized by the Nepal Mountaineering Association to hand over peace torch at the base camp of the Mt Everest on Saturday, PM Dahal underscored that it is time to claim the rights rather than supplication.    
"Nepal will not pay the price for anything it is not involved in, so those causing carbon emission must be more responsible and compensate through the climate fund," PM Dahal stressed, adding that Nepal will stake its claims and not just make a mere plea for help in the global climate event.    
A high level delegation led by PM Dahal is scheduled to attend the global event on climate change and will address a high-level session at COP28 on December 2.

Significant issues such as climate finance, adaptation, transfer of mountaineering technology and capacity building, loss and damage, climate empowerment would be raised in the address, according to him.    
The Government of Nepal has accorded top priority to issues including climate finance, management of loss and damage fund, mountaineering issues, emission reduction and inclusion this time.    
PM Dahal said that a work procedure would be formulated for the development and expansion of Khumbu region and security of Sagarmatha area.    
The PM also recalled that the recent visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the Khumbu region was a reminder to the world.    
"Secretary-General Guterres reached Khumbu area and inspected the impacts of climate change as well as interacted with the locals and the people's representatives, which is a significant contribution to globalize the problems of climate change faced by this area," he mentioned.    
He also reminded his address at the 76th UNGA in New York which centered on the impacts of climate change in Nepal. Dahal added the government was serious in construction of tourism infrastructures in Khumbu area, stating that it would carry out possible initiatives to protect and promote Sagarmatha and Lumbini.    
According to him, the government would pay special attention to expedite construction of road from Chatara to Lukla.    
Extending gratitude towards the local levels for opening track at Khumbu region, PM Dahal mentioned that the government would support in upgrading the road.

"It is the responsibility of all to take initiative to make the economic activities more dynamic by developing systematic tourism that protects Sagarmatha and Lumbini," he shared. -- RSS