Kathmandu: Hon. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has called for embedding the mountain resilience agenda across the global climate negotiation process, stressing the need for stronger international cooperation and increased climate financing to address the growing threats to mountain ecosystems and communities.
Addressing a high-level event on “Strengthening Mountain Resilience through Adaptation Finance” on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday, November 9, Khanal highlighted the economic, physical and human costs of the recent “Himalayan Tsunami” in Nepal.
The event was co-hosted by Nepal, Bhutan and Kyrgyzstan, along with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Zoï Environment Network, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Khanal stressed the need for greater regional and international solidarity to help mountain countries cope with the growing threats posed by climate change.
Noting that nearly one-third of the world’s population directly depends on mountain ecosystems, he called for integrating mountain resilience into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and scaling up predictable and accessible climate finance.
He also stressed the importance of keeping the global warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.
