Back to news
9 Nov 2017 | Atmosphere Initiative

Community Participation a Precursor to Sustainable Development and Effective Climate Actions

Fulfilling the requisites of successful climate action and sustainable development is a challenge. This is particularly true for high mountain and small island regions which have distinct and unique geographical characteristics. The key to dealing successfully with these challenges lies in ensuring community participation. It is an essential criterion for ensuring the sustainability of climate action.

During a side event at the 23rd session of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 23) in Bonn, Germany this week, representatives from the two ends of the geographical spectrum, the small islands and high mountains, gathered to discuss and share experiences for improving climate action and sustainable development pathways.

Udayan Mishra

1 min Read

70% Complete
Panelists at the discussion session Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski

“There are unprecedented challenges to achieving three goals at a time: poverty reduction, climate resilience, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, said Bishwa Nath Oli, Nepal’s Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE). Highlighting the crucial role and need of support from the international community, he added, “Fair and equitable global response to sustainable development and climate change is the need of the hour”.

Representing the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Bhaskar Singh Karky, Programme Coordinator of the Regional REDD+ Initiative, argued that ensuring co-benefits would be a key ingredient for motivating communities to make sustainable climate interventions. “Co-benefits must be generated so that climate actions become sustainable and continuous cooperation within and between communities is ensured,” he told the crowd.

2
3
1. Bhaskar Singh Karky, Programme Coordinator, Regional REDD+ Initiative, ICIMOD Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski 2. Members of the audience Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski 3. Bishwa Nath Oli, Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE), Government of Nepal Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski

The panelists also talked about the need for creating a network of practitioners at different levels. Building upon common interests, including cultural commonalities, linguistics, or even faith, many agreed on the need for establishing common elements around which to organize. Stressing the existing lack of coordination between community members, Maheswar Rupakheti said, “The creation of a ‘community of communities’ is essential to ensure everyone becomes a part of the solution”. Rupakheti is associated with the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS Potsdam) as a Scientific Project Leader.

With the aim of bringing perspectives from Nepal and the Pacific Islands, the discussion took place at the Bonn Zone in COP23 venue on 7 November during the side event, Coordinated Action on Sustainable Development and Climate Change, jointly hosted by MoPE, IASSm and ICIMOD.

ICIMOD’s delegation is at the COP23 in Bonn, Germany organizing and attending various activities. For a complete list of events, please visit our dedicated webpage for COP23: www.icimod.org/cop23. For any questions, please write to Udayan Mishra: Udayan.Mishra@icimod.org

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related contents

Continue exploring this topic

8 Apr 2015 News
Ramkumari Kumal’s story

How poor families with farmlands that are at risk of floods and animals’ foraying into them can barely eke out ...

22 Mar 2017 HKPL
Xi’an delegation visits ICIMOD and other relevant departments in Nepal

An official delegation from Shaanxi Province, Xian, China visited ICIMOD from 19 - 23 February 2017, a visit organized by ...

16 Apr 2015 News
Kiwi orchard established in Bhutan

Bhutan’s Agriculture and Forests Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji inaugurated a kiwi fruit orchard (demonstration farm) in Wangkha on 15 March ...

16 Nov 2015 HKPL
ICIMOD Supports International Conference on Mountain and Climate Change

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) through its Cryosphere Initiative co-organised the International Conference on Mountain and Climate ...

5 Aug 2022 News
Supporting the Kamala Basin Water Resources Development Strategy implementation project

On 17 May 2022, we held a hybrid inception meeting to strengthen the development, planning, and implementation of the

27 Feb 2016 News
Enhancing the Large Cardamom Production

Large cardamom (Amomum sabulatum Roxb) is the high value cash crop and main source of cash income for farmers in ...

6 Feb 2015 Cryosphere
Master Programme Thesis

Florencia Matina Tuladhar completed her thesis on “Determination of factors influencing recession ...

31 Oct 2017 Himalica
Regional Workshop on the Himalica Project in Taplejung Deemed a Success

Key highlights of the workshop were: eight presentations on topics such as large cardamom, ecosystem services assessment, and bee pollination ...