Nepal Will Hold International Climate Change Experts Meet

At a time when Nepal is creating its space in international climate change arena by announcing to hold the international Conference on Mountain Alliance Countries in next March, Nepal is holding the meeting of Lest Developed Countries Experts Group meeting from tomorrow has its own important significance.

“The Eighteenth Meeting of the LEG will be held in Kathmandu from 12 to 15 October 2010, for the first time organised in Nepal. The meeting organised jointly by Ministry of Environment and the UNFCCC Secretariat will be attended by all (12) members of LEG, and representatives of the GEF, FAO, UNDP, UNCCD Secretariat, WHO, ADB and UNFCCC Secretariat. The GEF and its Agencies will attend the meeting on 12 and 13 October and later two days will be the closed session of the LEG meeting,” said Batu Krishna Uprety joint secretary and Chief of Climate Change Management Division of Ministry of Environment.

The COP at its seventh session decided to establish LDC Fund and LDC Expert Group (LEG). The 12 members LEG comprises of 5 experts from African LDC Parties, 2 from Asian LDC Parties, 2 from Small Island LDC Parties, and 3 from Annex II Parties (developed and industrialised countries) to the UNFCCC. For 2008-2010, LEG is represented by government nominated experts of Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Canada, Gambia, Liberia, Maldives, Nepal, Netherlands, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Island, and Uganda.

“The meeting with GEF and its Agencies will discuss, inter alia, on matters related with: (i) status of the preparation and implementation of the NAPA, and support activities; (ii) experience on the preparation of NAPA and LDC work programme; (iii) preparation of best practices and lessons learned; (iv) future collaboration with GEF and its agencies; and (v) preparations for COP 16. The LEG meeting on 14 and 15 October will focus on aspects related to, inter alia, outcome of the the Subsidiary Bodies for Implementation on LDC matters, issues on NAPA preparation and implementation, information on accessing funds from LDC Fund, elements of the future mandate of the LEG, and status of LDC work programme,” said Uprety who is also a member of LEG.

"Nepal's NAPA, approved by the Government of Nepal on 28 September 2010, will be briefly presented in the meeting. A field visits will also be organised to the participants to help understand the impacts of climate change in Nepal,” said Uprety.

According to the press release of Ministry of Environment, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), adopted in 1992 and to which Nepal is a Party, has a provision that "the Parties shall take full account of the specific needs and special situations of the least developed countries (LDCs) in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology". Although, LDCs emit insignificant greenhouse gases (GHGs), they have been affected by the adverse impacts of climate change, and it is considered that climate adaptation is the best alternatives for them.

According to Chief of Climate Change Management Division, Uprety, The Seventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC held in Marrakesh, Morocco in 2001 decided LDC work programme which includes: (i) supporting preparation and implementation of the national adaptation programme of action (NAPA); (ii) strengthening existing and, where needed, establishing national climate change secretariat and/or focal points; (iii) providing training in negotiation skills and language; (iv) promotion of public awareness programmes; and (v) development and transfer of technologies, particularly adaptation technologies.