Strong voices of countries including Nepal in the COP

The Climate Change Conference [of Parties – COP], which aims to reach a landmark agreement to tackle the global climate crisis, is now in its second week. Discussions that slowed down in the first week are expected to pick up pace in the second and final week. This final week will see political discussions and diplomatic talks.

Small and less developed countries like Nepal, which are affected by the catastrophic events caused by the climate crisis in COP 30, are demanding climate justice. Minister for Agriculture Madan Pariyar, who is participating from Nepal, expressed his views on the impact of melting glaciers, water and food crises, and health on Nepal at the ministerial-level key meeting. He called for climate justice, saying that the Himalayan communities at risk from the climate crisis have not been able to receive compensation.

Nepal is making its demands clear as its voice alone will not be heard seriously. For example, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh issued a joint statement calling on the world to take urgent climate action and address the risks posed by the climate crisis. Representing the three countries, Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Rajendra Mishra, on behalf of Nepal, stressed the importance of climate adaptation investment for the sustainable development of these countries and stressed the implementation of the roadmap promised in Baku.

The puzzle of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement

Brazil has called COP 30 the ‘COP of Truth’. The discussions at COP 30 are currently focused on the implementation of Article 9 of the Paris Agreement. Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement requires major countries to compensate affected countries for their carbon emissions. However, major carbon-emitting countries have not paid the required compensation.

The previous summit agreed to provide $300 billion annually for climate finance, but it was still not enough, so a roadmap was announced, “From Baku to Belém,” with the goal of increasing that amount to $1.3 trillion.

Despite the demand for compensation for climate justice every year, major emitters are always engaged in a game of prolonging the process. Manjit Dhakal, the facilitator for Nepal, said that the issue of climate finance is being delayed more than expected. He said that agreement has not yet been reached on climate finance, trade barriers, and nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

Simply put, your house was affected when your neighbor built a house. The neighbor says he will repair it, but he always delays. This is what is happening in the world. Large and developed countries are affecting the environment by emitting the most carbon, but the impact is being felt by mountainous countries like Nepal and coastal countries like Bangladesh. And, the United States, which is a major emitter, has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement twice.

This time, there is no high-level government delegation from the United States. Arab countries that produce fossil fuels are also trying to push back on the adaptation plans made in the previous COP in several negotiations.

This time too, a study has found that more than 1,600 fossil fuel facilitators in the fossil fuel industry, such as gas and oil, are involved in climate discussions. This means that one in every 25 people is a fossil fuel facilitator. This figure also raises serious questions about the COP. This year, the pressure has been increased by a huge rally by civil society, rights activists, and indigenous communities demanding an end to fossil fuels.

On the other hand, the Climate Adaptation Report states that developing countries will need $3.1 to $3.65 trillion annually by 2035 for climate adaptation. And, the important discussion on the Loss and Damage Fund at COP30 has announced the first-ever distribution of $250 billion in the initial phase.

Climate Adaptation Report

It is said that countries affected by the climate crisis can apply for the fund until December.

The Fund for Responding Loss and Damage ( FRLD ) is the United Nations’ climate finance mechanism, launched at COP28 in 2023. Speaking at the announcement of the funding, FRLD’s Richard Sermon said, “We are starting with the initial steps rather than spending years mobilizing the $800 billion we have in the fund.”

To this end, FRLD has taken forward climate action under the name Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM).

Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, Head of the Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Forests and Environment of Nepal, who is also an advisor to this fund, has called on organizations that are eligible for Nepal to apply for the fund. International organizations working in Nepal and local bodies that can apply for the fund after completing the process include the National Nature Conservation Fund, Alternative Energy Center, and Mega Bank.

The temperature is rising.

The 16th edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report, released at COP 30, projects that if countries fully implement their nationally determined contributions, global warming will reach 2.3 to 2.5 degrees Celsius this century. However, the report states that under current policies, global warming will reach 2.8 degrees Celsius.

The Paris Agreement of 2015 aimed to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and to try to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. But countries have failed to meet the target.

Global warming means, on the one hand, the melting of mountains and glaciers, which affects communities living in the mountains as well as communities living in low-lying coastal areas. On the other hand, excessive rainfall or drought, floods and landslides are all signs of this. Countries like Nepal, which are just trying to take the first steps of development, are more affected by temperature increase.

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said it was too late to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and that wind, solar and forests could help mitigate it. She urged all countries to reduce global temperatures by reducing methane emissions.

This year alone, Nepal has suffered nearly 300 deaths and billions in losses due to natural disasters. Whether it is the floods following the eruption of the glacial lake in Rasuwagadhi or the monsoon floods and landslides across the country, there has been a huge loss of life and property. On the other hand, the drought in the Terai this year has affected the production of millions of metric tons of rice. While Nepal is already facing so many disasters at a global temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius, a 2-degree drop in global temperature will cause even more devastation.

A report by German Watch, released on the 30th of this month, has placed Nepal among the 10 countries most affected by the climate crisis in 2024. David Eckstein, advisor on climate finance and investment at German Watch, said the report shows that global emissions need to be reduced immediately, adding that the risks and impacts will only increase if emissions are not reduced. He stressed the need to implement the loss and damage assessment and ensure the necessary climate finance.

This time, Nepal and countries like Nepal are strongly raising the impact of the climate crisis in the COP. It remains to be seen what conclusions will be drawn in this final week, and how the major emitting countries will act on climate finance in line with the agreement.

– This Report was prepared with the support of the Journalism Fellowship Program organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security under the Climate Change Media Partnership and published in Nepal News Online News Portal, https://nepalnews.com/2025/11/18/strong-voices-of-countries-including-nepal-in-the-cup/