Nepal to host int'l conference to address climate change in Hindu Kush Himalaya

Kathmandu, Aug 11 (PTI) Nepal is all set to host an international conference to spotlight the escalating impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution in the Hindu Kush region, the organisers said on Monday.

The two-day Hindu Kush Himalaya Parliamentarians' Meet in Kathmandu, which will begin on Aug 18, aims to foster collaboration among over 100 parliamentarians, policymakers, climate experts, and stakeholders from the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which spans 3,500 km from Afghanistan to Myanmar.

President Ramchandra Paudel will inaugurate the event, organised by Nepal’s Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee in partnership with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

The event will focus on sharing expertise to address the region’s socio-economic crises driven by environmental challenges, the organisers said.

Issues related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and the effects of pollution that are creating an intense socio-economic crisis in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region will feature during the discussions at the conference.

“The ongoing climate change and environmental pollution have been seriously affecting the mountain ecosystem, natural resources, livelihoods, and human life in the region,” the organisers said in a statement issued at a press meet here.

Participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan will discuss strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which supports 10 of the world’s largest river systems, including the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.

Lawmaker Bir Bahadur Balayar, convener of the organising committee, emphasised that the meeting aims to present a unified regional stance on mountain-related issues in national, regional, and international forums. PTI SBP SCY SCY