The existential threats posed by the effects of climate change such as rising temperature, rising sea levels, and melting of glaciers have impacted the lives and livelihoods from the high Himalayas to the lowlands, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said while addressing the Climate Vulnerable Forum Leaders Event, held virtually on Thursday.

PM Oli also underscored the need for a collective fight against such threats posed by climate change.

“The best available science tells us that with rising temperature, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers, humanity is on the wrong side of the race against nature,” he said.

“Retreat of the glacial ice due to global warming has negatively impacted the lives and livelihoods of the Himalayan and high mountain civilization, induced disasters in the lowlands and caused rise of the ocean levels,” the PM added.

Prime Minister Oli also highlighted the importance of Nepal’s snow-fed rivers that cleans the ocean ecosystems, serving as natural climate stabilizer, while signifying the organic linkages between mountains and the oceans.

The prime minster also stressed on the need to ensure full and effective implementation of the Paris agreement and make climate issues top global political agenda during the COP26 next year.
He also lauded the vision set by the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) to limit the rise of global temperature to 1.5oC.

“It is ironic that the climate vulnerable countries like Nepal have borne the brunt of inaction of others. The impacts of climate change do not respect political boundaries. Therefore, the vision set by the CVF for increased commitment by all nations to limit the rise of global temperature to 1.5°C is now more important than ever,” he said.

“The large emitters should break their silence and scale up climate ambitions to send a strong signal,” he added.

Stressing on the importance of reducing every fraction of a degree in temperature, Prime Minister Oli said that full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement was a question of survival for the vulnerable countries like Nepal.

The Event, organized in concurrence with the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly 2020, was hosted by the Government of Bangladesh as the Chair of the CVF.