Kathmandu__
Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, president of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) and Brazil’s former secretary for climate, energy and environment affairs and career diplomat, has cited Nepal among countries whose people have been affected by climate change.
Addressing the opening ceremony of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday, Lago said the international community must continue to remember people affected by climate change in Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, Nepal, as well as various countries across Africa and Europe.
He stressed that decisions and implementation related to climate change must be based on science and that protecting the most vulnerable and at-risk communities should be given priority.
Lago said the climate agenda should not be viewed solely as an environmental issue, but as an issue directly linked to human lives and development. He said climate policies must contribute to improving people’s living standards and that the transition towards a climate-resilient economy should not deepen existing inequalities.
He also called for stronger adaptation programmes to reduce the impacts of climate change, with particular attention to ensuring that vulnerable communities directly benefit from such measures.
According to Lago, addressing climate change requires the active participation of all stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, local authorities, scientists, civil society, young people, Indigenous communities and women.
He noted that following the Paris Agreement, projections of global temperature rise had declined from more than four degrees Celsius to around 2.7 degrees Celsius, but stressed that much more work remains to be done.
“Every day, we must remember the victims in countries such as Nepal that are affected by climate change. We must not forget the suffering and losses being experienced by people in Nepal and other countries around the world because of climate change. Our efforts to address climate change must always be based on science and must place the most vulnerable and at-risk communities at the centre,” Lago said.
COP31 is being held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20. The conference is focusing on implementing climate commitments, strengthening adaptation capacity and protecting communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
– News Agency Nepal