This article was first published on Climate Analytics website on 05 Feb 2021, and co-authored with Sneha Pandey and Abhishek Yadav.
Last year, a number of low-income, climate vulnerable countries stepped up their Paris Agreement commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These nations recognise that leapfrogging to climate-friendly development models would not only help save the planet and reduce risks posed by global warming, but that it also presents unique opportunities for social and economic progress. However, unlocking the full mitigation potential of these ambitious developing countries hinges on wealthy nations delivering on their climate finance promises.
Nepal is a country whose fragile topography, climate sensitive socio-economic structure and limited adaptive capacity makes it among those most at risk from rising temperatures. Taking this vulnerability into account, as well as its aspiration to transition to a middle-income country within this decade, Nepal’s revised 2020 NDC plans for a climate-resilient, prosperous society that will also reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
On the eve of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit, organised to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, Nepal submitted its 2020 NDC to the UNFCCC Secretariat. In his speech at the Thimphu Ambition Summit a day later Nepal’s Environment Minister’s urged all nations to follow suit and work together to limit warming to 1.5°C. Continue reading »
