Parties have made ambitious commitments to climate change, pollution control, and green development, but without a clear action plan, budget, and accountability, it seems challenging to put those promises into practice.
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The issue of environment and climate change has been given a prominent place in the manifestos released by major political parties, focusing on the upcoming House of Representatives elections.
While the climate crisis is at the center of global debate, for a mountainous and disaster-sensitive country like Nepal, this issue is not limited to environmental concerns. It is a question directly linked to development, public health, livelihoods and national security.
Most party manifestos do not miss the issues of climate change, forest conservation, environmental management and green economy. However, there are clear differences in the perspectives and operational priorities of the three parties.
The Nepali Congress has included the issue of climate with great importance in its manifesto, while parties including the UML, the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), the National Independent Party (NISP) and others have also made various commitments to reduce climate change and its damage, which is creating a global debate.
The Nepali Congress has adopted a policy of mobilizing capital through ‘Net Zero Emission 2045’, promotion of electric vehicles, expansion of green energy and ‘green bonds’, making air pollution control its main agenda. It has also expressed its commitment to strict implementation through an independent regulatory body in accordance with the 'polluter pays' principle. The Congress has put forward a plan to create green jobs through forest management, biodiversity conservation and the 'Plastic-Free Nepal' campaign. The clearest policy and regulatory framework for climate mitigation and pollution control seems to have been proposed by the Congress.
'We will minimize the serious crisis caused by increasing pollution and climate change, natural disasters and natural disasters on public health and livelihoods through environment and forest conservation, carbon emission reduction, green economy and disaster preparedness,' the Congress's pledge states.
The NCP has committed to the prudent use of natural resources, promotion of a green economy and achieving the 'net zero emission' goal by 2045. It has also put forward a plan to use the Green Climate Fund, create a legal basis for carbon trading and develop an AI-based disaster early warning system. It has adopted a policy of linking forests with production and employment by operating the 'One Community Forest, One Enterprise' program in community forests. Although it has raised the climate issue diplomatically and structurally, the numerical emission reduction target and implementation structure are unclear.
In the context of Nepal's goal of zero emissions by 2045, the NCP has committed to making every effort to achieve that goal. 'Adaptation and mitigation programs will be launched to reduce the impact and risks of the rising temperature of the earth and climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions on people's lives. By internationalizing the issues of rising temperature of the earth and climate change, global attention will be drawn to the risks posed by the climate crisis in Himalayan countries. In this direction, initiatives will be taken to build a network of stakeholders under the leadership of Nepal,' it states.
The NCP has also taken a policy of taking special diplomatic and technical initiatives to maximize the use of financial funds such as the Green Climate Fund, the Damage Compensation Fund established by the global agreement on climate change, and other opportunities.
A disaster early warning system based on digital technology will be developed with the expected users to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters such as devastating earthquakes, floods, landslides, inundation, landslides, fires, heat waves, storms, hurricanes, cyclones, heavy rainfall, droughts, avalanches, and droughts, and it is committed to further increase the work of building integrated settlements to relocate settlements at risk.
The UML has presented a strategy to advance climate change as an international diplomatic agenda. It has expressed its commitment to advocate internationally to ensure the continuation of the Sagarmatha Dialogue, increased access to climate finance, and compensation. UML has set a goal for Nepal to lead in the expansion of climate adaptation and mitigation programs, including the protection of the Himalayan climate. Despite mentioning local programs, UML has not been able to clarify concrete emission targets.
UML has said that a national program will be implemented to prevent and adapt to the multidimensional crises, risks and damages caused by climate change. 'Nepal will increase its access to climate finance and modern technology from the international arena by making maximum use of the thinking, knowledge and skills of local communities, youth and experts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change,' the UML manifesto states. 'Green development-oriented countries will provide special facilities for justice-based compensation, technology transfer, capacity building and implementation in regional and international forums.'
Overall, the parties have given space to environment and climate issues in the manifesto. The NCP has emphasized green economy and resource utilization, while the UML seems to be focusing on infrastructure and forest-economic transformation. The Congress has prioritized regulation, pollution control, and green financial structures. A concrete roadmap with clear deadlines, measurable goals, and implementation mechanisms on complex issues like the climate crisis is not seen in the parties' manifestos.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has announced in its pledge to adopt a 'preparation-oriented' security policy, not just a 'response-oriented' one, as Nepal is at high risk of earthquakes, man-made disasters, and climate change. The RSS has a policy of making updated risk maps of high-risk areas public and expanding the early warning system to the local level. The RSS has also mentioned in the pledge to identify settlements at high risk of floods and landslides and move forward with the process of transferring them to safe and managed 'integrated settlements'.
It has announced that it will start high-level diplomatic advocacy to obtain compensation and grants from global climate funds by approving the 'National Climate Finance Strategy'. 'We will raise the issue of climate change in an international forum as 'climate justice' to protect Nepal's mountains and environment, and we will elevate Nepal from the identity of a 'victim' nation to a 'leading' role in the global crisis of climate change,' the RSVP said in its pledge. 'For this, we will approve a clear 'climate diplomacy roadmap' and strengthen Nepal's agenda and demands at the highest level and technically in the upcoming climate conferences.'
The NCP has pledged to establish a 'Forest Fire High-Alert Center' to protect community and national forests, to stop the uncontrolled exploitation of stones, gravel, and sand, and to implement a 'scientific excavation and export procedure' to reduce the risk of flooding by filling the rivers of the Terai with gravel.
The NCP has adopted a policy of implementing a multilateral plan to bring air pollution within the standards of the World Health Organization, and to formulate and strictly implement new standards for emissions from transport vehicles, brick kilns, and factories. It has also announced a complete ban on open burning of garbage and agricultural residues.
The NCP has put forward a program to promote a green economy, provide a legal basis for carbon trading, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its manifesto. UML has also prioritized the 'zero waste' concept, utility tunnels, sewer networks, greenbelts, and urban tree plantations for urban management. The Congress has emphasized the National Air Quality Policy.
Climate change is seen as not only an environmental challenge for Nepal but also a serious crisis related to development, livelihoods, and national security. Melting mountains and glaciers, drying up of long-term water sources, increasing frequency of floods, landslides, and fires, declining agricultural production, and new risks to public health are direct impacts of climate change.
Nepal has also made ambitious commitments at various international forums on climate change. At the 26th International Conference on Climate Change (COP-26), Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, on behalf of Nepal, announced that Nepal would become a net-zero carbon emission country by 2045. Accordingly, nationally determined contributions and adaptation plans were prepared.
Although the parties have prioritized climate and environmental issues in the manifesto, the real test will be in its implementation. Nepal's goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2045 will only be realized if the parties can implement concrete plans to bridge the gap between the commitments expressed in the international forum and the policy plans adopted by Nepal. Otherwise, there is a risk that the 'green promises' of the manifesto will remain limited to paper. Therefore, not only political commitment, but also a clear action plan, budget assurance and accountability are necessary. If the slogans of climate justice and green development cannot be put into practice, future generations will have to pay the price.
