With the whole world bearing the brunt of global warming resulting from climate change, governments have already stepped up numerous measures to deal with this burning issue. Altogether 195 countries had inked the Paris Agreement in 2016 after realising the need for tackling this concern in a planned and coordinated manner. The accord, which is now being implemented, is expected to be instrumental in reducing the level of greenhouse gas significantly. Political leaders and environmentalists have termed the signing of this vital accord as a departure for a low-carbon age. In line with this agreement, the countries are now required to come forward with environment-friendly development models while people need to change their lifestyle.
Under this agreement, governments have agreed to keep temperature rise within 1.5 degree Celsius. No doubt, climate change has caused floods, storms and droughts more frequent and more severe, and rainfall more unpredictable. It has also raised the sea level in an alarming manner. Thus, climate change has hit the agriculture sector hard, thereby increasing hunger and unemployment in many developing and underdeveloped countries. The developed as well as the developing nations have a responsibility to control their greenhouse gas emissions. Needless to say, most of such emissions are from the developed countries. The emission of carbon dioxide causes warming to the atmosphere. Despite being an emerging economy, China is now considered as the largest emitter after the US, European countries and India. The main reason for this is that China has now become the world's largest manufacturing nation. Therefore, both the rich and the emerging economies must limit their emissions.
The Paris Agreement has also clear provisions for the developed as well as developing nations to move ahead by setting time-bound emission mitigation targets. One of the key components of this climate deal is that governments will have to phase out fossil fuels with electricity generation by 2050 to achieve the goal of limiting the temperature rise. Besides, the instrument includes adaptation to climate change effects, green technology transfer and capacity building in developing nations, among others. It is necessary for all the nations to implement the agreement in letter and spirit in order to protect this planet. As a signatory to the agreement, Nepal has remained committed to the promotion of climate-resilient development moving towards a zero-carbon economy.
Addressing a ‘Climate Ambition Summit’ virtually on Saturday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that Nepal strongly supports the Paris Agreement and called for limiting global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius. The Prime Minister further said that even when the COVID-19 pandemic led to the deferral of COP-26, the quest for a cleaner and greener earth could not be postponed. He added, "To promote green growth and green recovery, Nepal prioritises producing clean and renewable energy, promoting e-mobility, low carbon infrastructure and ecotourism." As part of her effort to preserve biodiversity, Nepal plans to expand the protected area from 23 per cent to 30 per cent of the total areas of the country by 2030. Oli also called upon the world to recognise the value of the Himalayas to maintain ecological balance in the oceans and control global warming. Nepal seeks to join hands with all the countries to march ahead for a greener journey together.