Minister Thakuri leaves for Baku to attend COP 29

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Nov. 10: Minister for Forest and Environment Aain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri departed for Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan on Saturday, to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29). 

The conference will be held from November 11 to November 22. Minister Shahi leads a delegation that includes Forest Secretary Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal, among others, according to the press coordinator.

Nepal plans to raise key issues at the conference, including mountain and climate change, climate adaptation, loss and damage, climate finance, technology development and transfer and capacity building for the least-developed countries. For this purpose, the Ministry has prepared a national position paper, which prioritises issues such as losses in mountainous areas and climate finance.

Nepal will be represented at COP 29 under the leadership of President Ramchandra Paudel, who is scheduled to address the ‘World Leaders Climate Action Summit’ from November 12 and November 13 during the high-level opening session.

Similarly, to further draw global attention to Nepal’s issues, a separate high-level session led by President Paudel will be conducted on November 13. President Paudel is also scheduled to present the National Statement on November 13, where the ministry has invited various international organisations, ICIMOD, World Bank and other mountainous countries including Bangladesh, Kazakistan and Maldives, said the secretary at the Ministry Dr. Deepak Kharal. 

According to Kharal, President Paudel is scheduled to return to Nepal on November 14. He noted that there will be a thematic session from November 14 to November 22, during which Nepal will present its agenda, including Mountains and Climate Change, which has never been a formal agenda in past conferences.

Minister Thakuri is scheduled to return to Nepal on November 19 after that Minister for State Rupa B.K. will lead the conference.