Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Monday urged countries in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region to step up regional cooperation to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution. Speaking at the inauguration of the two-day Hindu Kush Himalaya Parliamentarians’ Meet in Kathmandu, he said, "This conference is the beginning of a roadmap for the present and a commitment for the future.”
The high-level gathering brought together around 200 delegates, including parliamentarians, policymakers, environmental scientists, climate experts, and media representatives from across the HKH region, which stretches 3,500 km from Afghanistan to Myanmar. The meeting aims to foster collaboration on urgent environmental, climate, and development issues.
"With parliamentarians’ support, cooperation, and foresight, it would be possible to address the common crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution (in the HKH region),” Paudel added.
Organised by the Committee of Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources of Nepal’s Federal Parliament in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the conference highlighted the transboundary nature of environmental challenges.
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ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho cautioned, "HKH is becoming an epicentre of multi-hazards with increasing vulnerabilities from geological, hydrological, and climatic risks." He added, "Despite their global importance, mountain ecosystems remain under-represented in regional and international climate forums, plans and policies. The existing frameworks often overlook the unique challenges and contributions of mountain regions, leaving them inadequately addressed in global environmental governance.”
Kusum Devi Thapa, chair of the organising committee, stressed the need for coordinated action among legislative, executive, and judicial bodies, supported by media, development partners, and scientific experts. Nepal Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, Environment Minister Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, and parliamentarian Bir Bahadur Balayar also underscored the critical role of political commitment and regional cooperation in combating the climate crisis.
The event featured three panel discussions on biodiversity conservation, the future of the HKH region, and the role of parliamentarians in mitigating climate-related disasters. Delegates noted that the effects of climate change in mountain ecosystems go beyond immediate disasters, causing biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, water scarcity, and far-reaching socio-economic consequences for high-altitude communities.
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