Kathmandu, Nepal, Broadcasting News Corporation: Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury delivered a compelling speech at the inaugural ceremony of the International Expert Dialogue on Mountain, People, and Climate held at Chandragiri Hill Resort, Kathmandu, Nepal today. He underscored the critical role of the Hindu Kush Himalayas in the global climate landscape, emphasizing the region as “ground zero for climate change.” Minister Chowdhury stressed the paramount importance of de-carbonization, pointing out the inherent limitations of current adaptation and mitigation measures. “Unless we de-carbonize, whatever we try to do in terms of adaptation and mitigation measures, that is not going to be enough. There are limits to adaptation and resilience,” he stated. He criticized the paradoxical approach of increasing carbon emissions while formulating National Adaptation Plans, arguing that such contradictions exacerbate the problem. Highlighting the concept of climate justice, Minister Chowdhury articulated the disparity faced by nations like Bangladesh and Nepal, which contribute minimally to global emissions but suffer disproportionately from climate impacts. He lamented the difficult choices governments are forced to make between combating poverty and addressing climate change, calling it “a great injustice.”

Bangladesh’s significant financial commitment to climate adaptation was contrasted with the global community’s failure to deliver on promised funding. “We can subsidize fossil fuels to the extent of seven trillion dollars a year, but the national adaptation plans are not funded. This double standard has to be stopped,” Chowdhury asserted, emphasizing the urgent need for genuine global action.

Addressing the dire consequences of glacier melt and rising sea levels, he warned, “If all the glaciers melt, how will the people of Bangladesh survive?” He highlighted the interconnected nature of climate impacts, affecting not just mountains but also ice sheets, snow, glaciers, and permafrost. Minister Chowdhury called for immediate actions to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius, warning that even a tenth of a degree increase could have catastrophic impacts. “If we can get it right here, we can get it right for the rest of the world. This is a global existential issue.”

In closing, he urged for localized initiatives and collective efforts, emphasizing that the solutions lie within our capabilities and political will. “Let’s not look for others; let’s see what we can do. How much we can fix by our own initiatives. And that will make the difference,” he concluded. Right Honourable Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, delivered the inaugural address under the chairmanship of Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi, Minister for Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal. Minister of Bhutan, Chair of UNFCCC Subsidiary Body ; UN Resident Coordinator, Nepal; Special Representative of the President of Kyrgyzstan and representatives of international organizations also spoke in the occasion. Keynote was presented by Dr. Baikuntha Aryal, Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal.