Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba has described the mountains as humanity's shared global resources.
In her welcome statement in the Opening Session of the Sagarmatha Sambaad organized for the first time in Kathmandu on the theme of 'Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity', she said the mountains are the source of fresh water to millions of people.
Stating that the Himalayas are bearing the greatest burden of climate change-induced stressors today, she noted that the rate of glacier melting due to climate change effects has significantly increased. Minister Rana mentioned that this has negatively impacted the daily lives of the mountain communities.
"Mountains store and supply freshwater, act as natural carbon sinks and are home to breathtaking biodiversity and abundant natural resources. They offer an array of sustainable climate solutions in the form of reforestation, watershed protection and eco-tourism," she stated.
Reminding that the climate change-induced disasters have shaken the very foundation of human existence and livelihoods, the Foreign Affairs Minister said the floods and glacial lake outburst triggered by climate change impact has caused a big damage, and the droughts, water scarcity and forest fires has given untold suffering.
"The Sambaad provides an occasion for reflection and introspection and aims to encourage meaningful conversations on matters that matter to us all, from the mountains to the seas, and from the Global North to the Global South," she added.
Noting that the Himalayas, in particular, are facing an unprecedented stress test in real time today, exposing not only the fragile nature of our mountain ecosystems but also a glaring evidence of the lack of meaningful global climate action, she said Nepal, as a mountainous country, is forced to face a heavy and disproportionate burden of the negative impacts of climate change.
"Yet there are incredible examples of many local communities fighting strenuously against climate change. Women, indigenous people, youth, and marginalized groups- especially in mountain regions- are the gentle caretakers of our natural world. They fight on the home ground and they know how to fight a long fight."
The minister stressed on the occasion that recognizing and giving value to their local knowledge and lived experience is critical to building adaptive and sustainable communities, as is empowering them with resources and opportunities for finding sustainable solutions to an existential crisis.
Nepal has committed to achieving the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Hydropower, a clean form of energy, has remained Nepal's largest source of electricity.
Minister Rana shared community forest, a natural resource management program pioneered by Nepal, has not only helped Nepal enlarge its forest cover significantly but has also emerged as a model of participatory conservation the world over.
"Climate change is a global crisis transcending national boundaries. Nothing less than a global alliance based on justice and solidarity can hope to make a dent on the existential crisis that climate change brings in its wake", she mentioned, adding that we call for a sufficient and effective loss and damage fund that could be easily accessed by countries in crisis.
The Foreign Minister added that the world should acknowledge the vulnerabilities of countries like Nepal as well as support targeted mitigation and adaptation strategies through the provision of climate finance, adaptation support and technology transfer.
Nepal has therefore been consistently at the forefront of advocating for climate justice in international forums and multilateral institutions, she opined.
Minister Rana argued that this forum would be an opportunity to contemplate on the linkage between climate change and regional and international peace, security and stability as well as the impacts of climate change on migration, food security, humanitarian crisis and disaster risks.
She expressed the belief that the Dialogue would help spark fresh ideas, foster cooperation and mobilize greater political willpower in combating the specter of climate change and the existential threat to the future of humanity.
