SATV, Kathmandu, Oct 6 - Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has led the Nepali delegation at a high-level Pre-COP Leaders’ Event held in Funafuti, the capital of Tuvalu, ahead of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Addressing the high-level gathering alongside heads of state, heads of government and delegation leaders from various countries, Khanal highlighted Nepal’s concerns over the common challenges and priorities faced by mountainous countries and small island developing states (SIDS) due to climate change.
Participating in various formal sessions of the event, Khanal stressed the need for the international community to effectively address the shared concerns of countries bearing the adverse impacts of climate change, according to his secretariat.
During a meeting with Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo, Khanal expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to the Nepali delegation.
He noted the similarities between the climate risks confronting the Himalayan region and those facing small Pacific island states, and called for stronger bilateral cooperation on climate issues.
While visiting Tuvalu’s Coastal Adaptation Project in Funafuti, Khanal also held talks with Tongan Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua.
The two discussed the interconnected risks posed by climate change to high-altitude Himalayan ecosystems and low-lying island nations.
The meeting also emphasised the need for mountainous and small island countries to strengthen their collective voice on the international stage to ensure the effective implementation of climate finance, climate adaptation measures and loss-and-damage funds.
Khanal also held a cordial meeting with Mauritius President Dharam Gokhool and First Lady Brinda Gokhool. Recalling his visit to Mauritius as his first overseas trip after assuming the post of foreign minister, Khanal highlighted the longstanding friendly and cordial relations between Nepal and Mauritius.
The two sides also discussed further strengthening cooperation between Nepal and Mauritius on climate change and climate action at international forums.
During the field visit, the Nepali delegation observed first-hand the coastal engineering and climate adaptation measures adopted by Tuvalu to mitigate the impacts of rising sea levels and increasingly intense ocean waves.
Khanal drew attention to the close link between the rapid melting of glaciers and ice loss in the Himalayan region and rising sea levels.
He said the climate futures of mountainous and small island nations are interconnected and called on the international community to fulfil its climate finance commitments in a timely, adequate and equitable manner.
Nepal has increasingly highlighted the impacts of climate change in the Himalayas alongside the challenges faced by small Pacific island states, including sea-level rise and coastal erosion, as shared global climate concerns.
Nepal’s participation in the high-level Pre-COP Leaders’ Event in Tuvalu has further underscored its commitment to climate justice, the protection of Himalayan ecosystems and the shared priorities of small island developing states.
