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Since climate change is not only a national combat, but a combat which needs to be battled at the regional, sub-regional and global perspectives, Nepal can take a lead in organizing the member countries in South Asia. Given the variance of interests and stakes as far as climate change is concerned in the sub-region of South Asia, Nepal should take the lead to adapt the Copenhagen Accord in the sub-region and manage cooperation on sub-regional cooperation on combating climate change in South Asia.By Kishor Pradhan
Though most of the delegates from developing countries in the Conference of Parties 15 (COP 15) in Copenhagen left disgruntled, if not disgusted, after twelve-day of negotiations in December. Coincidently, the twelve-point Copenhagen Accord adopted by COP 15 is something some of the most vulnerable countries like Nepal have to take on its stride and make the most out of it.
The twelve-point Copenhagen Accord which will hopefully and eventually transform into a global legally binding treaty later this year in Mexico has fairly and clearly spelt out the roles of the developed and developing countries in combating climate change. For a country like Nepal which took part in the COP 15, as reported by various sources with more than 600 Nepali delegations, though was not able to make that much of a dent, as small island states like Tuvalu with a population of about 15,000 did, it is still not a case of opportunity lost.
For countries like Nepal which missed to inculcate in the Copenhagen Accord special mention of vulnerable countries with mountains and Himalayas as the small island states did, the Copenhagen Accord still holds promises and opportunities. But Nepal needs to tap the opportunity by deriving a climate change and development strategy which is national yet regional and global in nature and its implication.
In the context of lost yet gained opportunity for Nepal as far as the Copenhagen Accord is concerned, since Nepal’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) is still in the process of being prepared, it is an opportunity for Nepal to integrate the Copenhagen Accord into the NAPA. The Accord considering the priorities of developing countries like Nepal like development and poverty, it has provided for a longer emission peaking period than the developed countries. However, it also stipulates the development and growth with low-emission development strategy so that sustainable development is achieved. So it is undoubtedly an opportunity for Nepal to formulate a NAPA, which is in tune with the global context.
The other opportunity provided by the Accord is the creation of Copenhagen Green Climate Fund which will be soon operational with contributions coming from the UNFCC Annex 1 countries or the developed and high greenhouse gas emission countries. But to have access to the Climate Fund Nepal has to be smart and scientific enough to come up with proper and objective assessment of vulnerable geography and communities and the exact cost required for adaptation.
Hoping that Nepal would be able to quickly and comprehensively come up with its NAPA and have access to the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund and other global funding mechanisms to combat climate change, it is important to develop a financing mechanism nationally also. Many of the donors in Nepal have so far made contribution for preparing the Nepal NAPA. And here and there donors have contributed varying amounts to NGOs and INGOs for community level climate change adaptation actions. However, there is a need for more coordinated and consorted effort both in terms of actions and financing climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Best would be to create a central national Nepal Green Climate Fund like the global one promised and to be created by the Copenhagen Accord. The notion and modalities of the central national climate change fund in Nepal should be however accessible to not only to government agencies. It should be accessible to other civil societies or NGOs and INGOs provided they are legitimate and committed to combating climate change in Nepal. The government alone in Nepal can not combat the enormous challenges of climate change. But joining hands with non-government civil society sectors which all specialize and have substantive sector experience and expertise, the results can be comprehensive and consolidated.
Last but not the least, since climate change is not only a national combat, but a combat which needs to be battled at the regional, sub-regional and global perspectives, Nepal can take a lead in organizing the member countries in South Asia. Given the variance of interests and stakes as far as climate change is concerned in the sub-region of South Asia, Nepal should take the lead to adapt the Copenhagen Accord in the sub-region and manage cooperation on sub-regional cooperation on combating climate change in South Asia.
No matter how much disgruntled developing countries like Nepal maybe, the wisdom lies in jumping at several small opportunities that may get us there more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along as somebody once said.
(Pradhan is Deputy Regional Director/Country Representative, Panos South Asia. He can be reached at:
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