Dynamism In Diplomacy

Nepal has relentlessly continued its official efforts at the international level to get climate reparation, relief package and donations after the devastating Bhotekoshi floods that caused irreparable loss of life and property in the country. Following the catastrophic disaster, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, Speaker of the House Representatives Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal, Minister of Finance Dr. Swarnim Wagle and Foreign Affairs Minister Shisir Khanal visited different countries and international platforms to advocate for the climate compensation for the country.

Prime Minister Shah participated in the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month and highlighted the fundamental aspects of climate justice for the country. PM Shah drew attention of the world to simplify and facilitate resource mobilisation from climate finance mechanism and translate climate justice into practice. His address proved a significant step to turn climate justice into reality for climate-vulnerable countries like Nepal.

Likewise, Speaker Aryal presented Nepal’s emergency proposal on climate-induced disasters at the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania. The good news is that the emergency agenda titled ‘Immediate Parliamentary Steps for Climate-Induced Disaster Response and Resilience Building in Himalayan and Other Vulnerable Areas’ has been selected with a two-thirds majority at the IPU General Assembly. Nepal’s proposal became successful in being included in the emergency agenda after receiving the highest number of votes. Aryal stated that the increasing risks to the Himalayas, glaciers, and snow lakes due to climate change pose a challenge to the entire human civilization. He emphasised the need to make parliamentary climate diplomacy more effective in facing climate-induced disasters.