We Parliamentarians May Not Be Scientists, but We Can Pass a Budget for Climate Adaptation: Speaker Ghimire

Kathmandu: Speaker of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, Devraj Ghimire, said that parliamentarians can work for climate adaptation. Addressing the closing session of the two-day Hindu Kush Himalayan Parliamentarians’ Meet, Speaker Ghimire said, “We parliamentarians may not be scientists, but we can pass a budget for climate adaptation. We may not be engineers, but we can design laws to protect ecosystems, regulate carbon emissions, and monitor their implementation.”

He further said that parliamentarians are not activists, but they can raise voices for farmers and fishermen and create awareness. “We can voice the cries of children forced to breathe toxic air, the pain of people who have to walk miles in the morning for a pot of water. We can force the government to work on these issues. And, we must do this,” he added.

He also said that organizing the HKH Parliamentarians’ Meet regularly will be fruitful. Speaker Ghimire stated that continuing the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and practices among parliamentarians on climate change, biodiversity, and air quality will be a better way forward.

Stating that the Hindu Kush Himalayan region is known as the Third Pole of the Earth due to its snow cover and is also a major source of water resources for the whole of Asia, Speaker Ghimire said about 240 million people live in this region, while about two billion people depend on its natural and water resources. He further said this region is a sensitive area of the planet and its ecosystem is very important.

“The rate at which we are currently emitting carbon is increasing at the highest rate in the world. Temperatures are rising in this Himalayan region at about twice the rate of the global temperature increase. This has led to an increase in snowmelt in the mountains, the melting of glaciers, and devastating floods,” he said. “On the other hand, there is an unprecedented impact on livelihoods due to water scarcity and drought. The population living in this region has contributed very little to the creation of these problems, but we are the ones who suffer the most from it.”

Speaker Ghimire said that they have gathered in this program with concern for this common destiny.