PM highlights LDCs' vulnerability to climate change at Rio+20

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE 

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has emphasised on integration of economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development to address development challenges facing the world, particularly Nepal and other least developed countries.

While addressing the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday, Prime Minister Bhattarai underscored that the outcome of the Rio+20 summit has to provide enhanced financial resources, including Overseas Development Assistance — a financial support commitment made by developed countries to the poorest counties — for the support of the LDCs, a UN group of 48 poorest countries in the world. 

As the chair of Global Coordination Bureau of LDCs, the prime minister said it was naturally a key stakeholder of the conference. “Its concerns and aspirations in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication should get due priority,” he added.

In his speech, Bhattarai said development challenges of LDCs had become more pronounced and complex and their ability to address them remained greatly constrained. “The LDCs continue to remain most off-track in the achievement of the MDGs that we collectively defined as a basic minimum for humanity. The resources committed to be available for achieving those goals fall much short of the commitments,” said Prime Minister Bhattarai. 

Describing green economy as new development opportunities, the prime minister called for reforms in entities within the United Nations system that strongly support LDCs' sustainable development agenda. 

Stating that Nepal is one of the mountainous countries most prone to effects of climate change, the prime minister called for global commitment to promote sustainable mountain agenda. While highlighting Nepal’s climate change vulnerability, Bhattarai said, “For the past few years, Nepal has been on the frontline of climate change effects and ranked by some studies as the world’s fourth most climate-vulnerable country. The glacial lake outbursts and recurrent floods are major threats to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure." 

Prime Minister Bhattarai had left for Brazil on Monday, leading a 32-member official delegation, to participate in Rio +20 despite objection from opposition parties.