COP29 beginning on Monday

By Bhishma Raj Ojha, Kathmandu, Nov 10: The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is beginning in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday.     

The annual UN climate event is taking place from November 11 to 22.     

Nepal has continuously accorded priority to the COP since being party to the UNFCCC. This year as well, Nepal is attending the global event with the high delegation led by President Ramchandra Paudel.     

President Ramchandra Paudel left here on Sunday afternoon to attend the event at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.     

President Paudel is scheduled to address the high-level session of the 'World Leaders Climate Action Summit' on November 12. During the conference, Nepal will be holding a special high-level session under the leadership of President Paudel on November 13 to draw the world's attention to its agenda.     

The conference will also have a high-level meeting on 'addressing climate-related damage and loss in mountainous areas'. During this meeting, Nepal will inform the participants about the damage caused by the floods and landslides triggered by unusual weather patterns in Melamchi, Mustang, Kanchanpur, Thame, Kathmandu Valley and other areas

Earlier, Nepal's high level delegations were led by then Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in COP15 held in Copenhagen in 2009, by then President Bidya Devi Bhandari in the COP24 held in Poland in 2018, by then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in the COP27 held in UK in 2021, and by then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal COP28 held in UAE in 2023.     

As a party to various conventions on climate change, Nepal is implementing a national adaptation action plan to be realized by 2050.     

Similarly, Minister for Forest and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, also left for Azerbaijan on Saturday to attend the COP29.     

Secretary Dr Dipak Kumar Kharal and others accompanied the delegation led by Minister Shahi. Climate change adaptation, loss and damage, carbon credit, climate finance, technological development and transfer and issues of least developed countries (LDC) will feature significantly in the COP. The Ministry has prepared a position paper on climate change and impact in Nepal.     

The mountain issues, loss and damage, and climate finance are prioritized in the paper. Preparations were made at various levels to present the 'agenda' in the conference.     

This year's COP is regarded significant for Nepal especially for climate finance and carbon credit.