6 Oct, Kathmandu:

The government deposited the instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, through the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in New York, with the UN Secretary-General on Wednesday.

Following the decision of the Legislature-Parliament on October 4 in this regard, the instrument of ratification sighed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat was transmitted to the Permanent Mission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the registration of Nepal’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with UNFCCC Secretariat in the German city of Bonn by the Ministry of Population and Environment.

The deposition of the instruments has met the requirement, of deposition of instruments of ratification by at least 55 parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55 percent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, necessary for the Paris Agreement to come into effect. The agreement ratified by 72 States so far is set to come into force on November 4.

Meanwhile, the government has been reiterating its commitment to contributing to the global collaboration, and had also shared its intention to submit the instrument of ratification at the earliest, during the Signature Ceremony of the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016 in New York.

The government also highlights that the Paris Agreement is a living instrument meant for serious implementation, alongside 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and hopes that its sincere implementation would help Nepal adapt and mitigate problems such as landslides, floods, melting of glaciers, erratic and extreme weather patterns and loss of biodiversity directly affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.

The government also believes that the collective strength of global efforts, understanding, cooperation, partnership and support must go parallel in combating such challenges posed by climate change. RSS