Climate justice must be raised at international forums: President Paudel

March 10, Kathmandu: President Ramchandra Paudel has emphasized the need to raise the issue of climate justice at every international forum for countries like Nepal, which suffer the consequences of climate change despite not being major contributors.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 11th Nepal Geological Conference organized by the Geological Society on Monday, he stressed the importance of bringing this issue to global attention.

Highlighting the conference’s focus on mitigating climate change impacts, managing natural disasters, and geological hazards, President Paudel noted that these issues were now directly linked to daily human life.

He pointed out that excessive industrialization, fossil fuel exploitation, and carbon emissions from developed nations disproportionately affect developing countries like Nepal, which contribute minimally to global emissions.

The President warned of rising global temperatures, noting that Himalayan glaciers have shrunk by a third in the past three decades, with glacial lakes at risk of bursting.

He also mentioned recurring losses from floods, landslides, and erosion due to extreme rainfall, as well as the persistent challenge of earthquakes in the Himalayan region, which remain unpredictable despite advances in forecasting other disasters. Reflecting on the 2015 earthquake, he underscored the conference’s significance ahead of its 10-year anniversary.

President Paudel expressed hope that the conference would foster discussions on Nepal’s mineral resources, geological hazards, climate change, and the role of geoscience in infrastructure development, while also attracting investors for sustainable resource utilization.