Secretary of Ministry of Forest and Environment Dr. Bishwa Nath Oli said that COP 24 will be historically important international event for Nepal as Nepal is going to take part with leading a high level delegation by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

UNFCCC COP 24 is going to be held in Katowice, Poland from Dec 3, 2018 – Dec 14, 2018.

Addressing the UNFCCC COP 24 Consultation program secretary Dr. Oli said the issues rose during the consultation program and valuable suggestions made by the participants will guide concerned officials to finalize Nepal’s status paper.

“I am very happy to share the knowledge in this kind of program in the last three years as a secretary. This is a very learning occasion for me,” said secretary Dr. Oli.

Secretary Dr. Oli said that we need to move forward learning our past experiences of taking part in COP. He said that Nepal will express its stand through two negotiating blocks LDCs and Developing countries. “We will also present our own agenda.”

He said that Nepal is a mountainous countries and very vulnerable to the climate change and its implications. Secretary Dr. Oli said that Nationally Define Contribution Report will be revised looking at the change context of Nepal.

Secretary Dr. Oli also said the ministry has been working to strengthen the intern-ministerial coordination in preparing Nepal’s status report. “We are working on that direction,” said Dr. Oli. He also urged academicians and researchers to make more contributions to enhance Nepal’s knowledge base.

Secretary Dr. Oli said that climate change is a multi-dimensional issue which involves science, environment and human behavior as well. He assures that Nepal will prepare a comprehensive status paper addressing the issues like financing, adaptation, mitigation.

Presenting his paper on road to Katowice COP24: preparation and priorities of Nepal, Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, joint secretary and chief, Climate Change Management Division and UNFCCC Focal Point, said that the ministry prepare the status paper after holding series of consultative meetings with different stake holders. Dr. Dhakal said that it is important for Nepal

He said that Nepal’s status paper addresses all the relevant issues and agenda of Nepal and argued that it will accommodate the views expressed by stake holders. “In coming COP meeting Nepalese delegation will raised Nepal’s agenda through different blocks and on its own.”

Climate analyst of Clean Energy Nepal Manjeet Dhakal said that there is opportunity as well as challenges for the country like Nepal in COP. He said that Nepal will benefit a lot from Group of Least Developed Countries to raise its issue and concern. “At a time when COP itself is going through very crucial time, coming UNFCCC COP is very important for all.”

Following series of questions by participants on the issue of status paper, Secretary Dr. Oli also directed the concerned officials to share Nepal’s Status paper as soon as possible.

Conducted by Undersecretary of MoFE Ram Hari Pantha, Rajan Thapa, program manager of Clean Energy Nepal, delivered the opening statement highlighted the objective of the program.

Participated over 50 participants from various walks of life including government ministries, civil society organizations and media, various issues were raised during the two hours long interactions.