Climate justice should be put into practice: Foreign Minister Khanal

Kathmandu, Oct 2: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has emphasized the need to put climate justice into practice rather than confining it to slogan.

Foreign Minister Khanal urged the international community to provide new, easily-accessible and grant-based climate finance to Nepal to cope with the crisis surfaced from climate change.     

Addressing the 'Kathmandu Climate Week-2026' organised here today, he underlined that Nepal's development, agriculture, infrastructure, water security, public health, energy transition, financial stability and foreign policy are directly connected with climate change.     

"Although Nepal contributes 0.1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emission, Nepali people have had to lose lives and properties due to climate crisis. Nepal's contribution to create climate crisis is negligible. We bear a disproportionate burden of its impacts," argued the Foreign Minister.     

He stressed, "The meaning of climate justice is to accept this disproportionate burden and a concrete step should be taken to address it."     

Minister Khanal pointed out the need of international cooperation in adaptation support, technology transfer and institutional capacity building is essential to mitigate the damage Nepal is facing due to climate change.     

He also expressed the view that the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage, established with aim of immediately providing financial resources to the countries affected by climate-induced disaster, should not be confined to the complexities of administrative procedures.