On 22 July 2022, the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), Government of Nepal hosted a consultative meeting with parliamentarians to discuss the issues and agenda of sustainable mountain development in Nepal and receive feedback on integrating the mountain agenda at the local, provincial, national, and international levels. This is the second meeting hosted by MoFE following the inaugural session to mark the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development (IYMD) 2022 held on 23–24 March 2022.

Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD was invited to discuss regional partnership opportunities in sustainable mountain development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. In his remarks, he noted that while “regional cooperation is critically important, there is an equally important role for national actions in addressing local challenges related to climate change.” He also underlined the need to further improve on information and data exchange through regional cooperation, which is necessary for action at national and local levels. ICIMOD will be supporting MoFE in organising the Mustang Summit in September to forge a common mountain agenda on climate change.

The participating parliamentarians provided suggestions on how Nepal could move forward in addressing climate change challenges. The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Agni Prasad Sapkota, commended the commitment of the parliamentarians to address climate change needs through appropriate policy and legislation. He also mentioned that joining the Global Green Growth Institute was another commitment that the Government of Nepal is making for a more resilient and green approach.

The meeting was chaired by Hon. Pradeep Yadav, Minister for Forests and Environment with Rt. Hon. Agni Prasad Sapkota as the Chief Guest. The meeting was attended by the chairs of the parliamentary committees, Chief Whips and Whips of the House of Representatives, members of the Parliament and Secretary, officials from the government, and representatives from development partners.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development to recognise the importance of conservation and sustainable use of mountain ecosystems. The IYM2022 is a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the role of mountains and mountain people for our planet and sustainable development as well as for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

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