KATHMANDU: Nepal has intensified preparations for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Nepal’s position paper for the global climate summit is nearing completion. The ministry is collecting feedback and submissions from relevant stakeholders to refine the document before its finalization.
Joint Secretary Dr. Maheshwor Dhakal, chief of the ministry’s Climate Management Division, said the position paper is expected to be unveiled next week. Nepal aims to strengthen its diplomatic efforts at the conference to advance climate justice and secure greater access to international climate finance.
Dhakal emphasized that high-level political representation would be crucial to effectively communicate Nepal’s priorities and concerns at the international forum. While the first week of the conference will focus primarily on technical and thematic negotiations, the second week will feature ministerial-level discussions and decisions on key documents and agreements.
He said the participation of political leaders would be particularly important in negotiations concerning climate finance and adaptation, which are critical for a climate-vulnerable country like Nepal.
The ministry is also working to develop a clear plan for the participation of representatives from federal, provincial and local governments in finalizing the country’s position. However, accommodating the large number of interested participants within limited financial resources remains a challenge.
The recent disaster in Bhotekoshi, which drew international attention to Nepal’s vulnerability to climate-related hazards, is also expected to strengthen the country’s case for greater international support.
Dr. Manish Raj Pandey, director of the Climate Change Department at the National Trust for Nature Conservation, said Nepal should use COP31 to highlight the specific climate risks facing mountain regions, climate-induced loss and damage, and the urgent need for financial support for adaptation.
Pandey stressed that international negotiations should prioritize glacier-lake monitoring, protection of downstream communities exposed to mountain-related disasters, and measures to reduce climate risks.
He also called for adequate funding to address climate-induced loss and damage, rapid assistance to disaster-affected communities, and recognition of non-economic losses, including social and cultural damage.
According to Pandey, climate finance for vulnerable countries should be provided primarily through grants rather than loans to avoid increasing their financial burden. He further emphasized the need to empower local governments and communities to access and effectively use the Adaptation Fund.
He also called for simpler and faster procedures for accessing international climate finance, particularly for national institutions in least developed and mountainous countries.
Climate policy expert Raju Pandit Chhetri highlighted the imbalance in global investment priorities, arguing that conflicts and trade often receive greater attention than climate mitigation and adaptation.
He said COP31 should serve as an opportunity to hold major global powers accountable for increasing climate finance, pointing to the Bhotekoshi floods as an example of the serious risks faced by climate-vulnerable communities.
Climate expert Manjeet Dhakal described COP31 as an important platform for Nepal to draw international attention to its climate risks and vulnerabilities. He stressed that Nepal must fulfil its own emission-reduction commitments while urging developed countries to cut emissions more rapidly and deliver promised climate finance.
Such support, he said, is essential to protecting livelihoods, safeguarding infrastructure and ensuring that climate impacts do not undermine Nepal’s development progress.