A Long Walk to live a better life

Integrating Innovative Podways into Nepal's Sustainable Convey Strategy",

Enacting the paradigm shift for climate resilience.

By Shalik Subedi

In a groundbreaking move, the Nepali Congress (NC) marked a consequential milestone on August 12th, 2023, by introducing the Policy Hackathon – an initiative that not only sets a precedent for political parties but additionally envisions a transformative shift in policy trends. This bold step by the NC exemplifies the evolution of political parties and their engagement with scientific consciousness to address the nation's challenges. This unprecedented event opens the door to an incipient era of collaboration and innovation.

As My Father, a real Hero of transparency and Accountability, my Brother an Exemplary pragmatic attitude always perpetuates to be disciple forever,  proximately connected to the party through familial ties and personal engagement, I couldn't avail but feel an amalgamation of surprise and pride at this remarkable endeavor. The convergence of traditional politics and contemporary science verbalizes volumes about the party's commitment to embracing change. I commend the NC for embracing accepted science and opting to explore novel avenues for policy reform.

Reflecting on the Policy Hackathon, I was compelled to contribute to the discourse by crafting a concept paper that espouses two crucial themes – the Gig Economy and Climate Action. Drawing from my academic pursuits in Environmental Management and Sustainability under the SDG framework at Ecumenical College International and Human Rights Impact Assessment at Kathmandu University, I embarked on conceptualizing a solution that holds great promise for Nepal's sustainable future. Albeit I missed the submission deadline, I turned my concept paper into an article to apportion my insights and suggestions.

This pursuit led me to a fortuitous encounter with Nilaraj Bhattrai, facilitated by academician Arun Kandel. Our conversation unearthed the potential of Podways in Nepal and their potential impact on sustainable development. My construal of this innovative convey system inspired me to delve into its intricacies and articulate its potential in the context of Nepal.

Foreword

As the ecumenical climate crisis perpetuates to escalate, the desideratum for comprehensive and impactful climate action strategies becomes increasingly clamant. This abstract presents a forward-looking perspective on the imperative of long-term climate action for Nepal, with a concrete fixate on the revolutionary concept of “Podways”. Nepal, a country highly vulnerably susceptible to climate change impacts, faces multifaceted challenges cognate to conveyance, urbanization, and environmental sustainability. Traditional conveyance modes and urban expansion have contributed significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and congestion. To mitigate these challenges, a paradigm shift towards sustainable conveyance systems is obligatory.

The proposed solution of “Podways” introduces an innovative mode of urban conveyance that aligns seamlessly with Nepal's unique geography and challenges. “Podways”, an ascended personal expeditious transit system, offers several advantages including abbreviated carbon emissions, congestion alleviation, enhanced public mobility, and minimized land utilization. This abstract underscores the paramount of long-term orchestrating in adopting “Podways” as a central component of Nepal's climate action strategy.

Policy

Despite Nepal's per capita greenhouse gas emissions being modest compared to industrialized countries, they have doubled over the last seven years. This trend is concerning for Nepal's goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and poses challenges for its trade balance due to incrementing petroleum imports, amounting to approximately 250 billion rupees annually, which accounts for around 20 percent of the total budget. Currently emitting 28,166 gigagrams of carbon dioxide annually, up from 13,447 Gg CO2 in 2014, Nepal's upward trajectory is mainly attributed to the growing imports of Indian crude oil for conveyance.

The proposed solution of "PODWAYS” offers an innovative approach to address Nepal's urban conveyance challenges. This concept aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provides a pathway to minimize carbon footprints, enhance urban mobility, and ameliorate air quality. By harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar or electricity, “Podways” contribute to the transition towards clean energy in urban conveyance systems.

The integration of “Podway” represents a technological innovation in conveyance infrastructure. It aligns with (SDG 9), promoting sustainable industrialization and resilient infrastructure. Moreover, it contributes to (SDG 11) by providing efficient and eco-convivial urban conveyance. Supplementally, “Podways” directly support (SDG 13) by significantly abbreviating greenhouse gas emissions and advancing climate action. The potential prosperity of “Podways” adscititiously necessitates collaboration and partnerships, aligning with the essence of (SDG 17).

Conclusion

The prelude of the PODWAY system in Nepal holds tremendous promise for addressing clamant urban challenges, abbreviating carbon emissions, and enhancing the country's sustainable development trajectory. This innovative approach, coupled with policy support and public cognizance campaigns, can pave the way for a resilient and eco-convivial urban conveyance system. As we strive to navigate the impacts of climate change and build a more sustainable future, the integration of “Podways” is a promising breakthrough.

The peregrination toward a sustainable and climate-resilient Nepal is an endeavor that demands collaboration, innovation, and policy reforms. The exordium of “Podways” presents an opportunity for Nepal to not only mitigate the impact of climate change but withal transform its urban infrastructure and contribute to ecumenical sustainability goals. As the nation grapples with challenges posed by melting glaciers and shifting climate patterns, embracing innovative solutions like “Podways” becomes a race we can indeed acquire victory, fostering a greener and more prosperous future for generations to come.

Let’s beautify our nation with our Hands; let’s amplify our finance with our Minds.

Saliksubedi.com