Kathmandu, Oct 4 - Chairman of Constituent Assembly Subash Chandra Nembang Monday said that since climate change was becoming a challenging issue globally, Nepal was also trying its best to minimize the harms of climate change.
Inaugurating the opening ceremony of international symposium "Benefiting from Earth Observation: Bridging the Data Gap for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region" organized by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nembang said that analysis and data on climate change were inadequate and stressed on the need of filling the gaps.
"Nepal is trying its best to minimize the harms of climate change. Our country succeeded in throwing light on the plight of developing countries crippled by climate change in Cop-15," said Nembang.
He said that the international symposium involved 250 participants from 24 countries and the presence of dignitaries was noteworthy.
"The outcome generated from regional cooperation and discussions among the various countries will be fruitful for addressing the issues of climate change," he said.
Andreas Schild, Director General, ICIMOD, said that the Himalayan region was moving to the centre of regional and international attention as one of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems in terms of climate change.
"ICIMOD with its overarching goal of adaptation to climate change in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region is working to build regional capacity and develop knowledge in relation to key strategies and policies for improving adaptation to climate change for the mountainous communities at risk," said Schild.
Schild said that the symposium was bringing together many eminent people in the field of earth observation, both from the region and beyond.
Environment Minister Thakur Prasad Sharma said that information and data put forward by the earth observation would help in bridging the data gap for adaptation to climate change in the Himalayan region.
Basanta Sharma, head of ICIMOD’s MENRIS Division, said, "The participation and support by key regional and international institutions is a clear manifestation of the strong commitment to the Hindu Kush Himalayan region in addressing issues of climate change adaptation."
Altogether 70 contributions to the main theme were presented at an exhibition and a poster pavilion was also launched during the opening ceremony.
A youth forum empowering the youths with earth observation information and a pre-symposium workshop on space based information for disaster preparedness and risk management precedes the symposium and the week will conclude with a SERVIR-Himalaya inception Workshop on 7 October.
The Hindu Kush Himalayan region can benefit immensely from the earth observation to gain insights into the regional status and trends related to climate change and other environmental changes of a transboundary nature and their implications at the global level, said ICIMOD.
According to ICIMOD, NASA’S Administrator Charles F.Bolden is also attending a week long high level symposium on fostering regional and international cooperation to promote the use and
access to earth observation for improved scientific knowledge and understanding to support adaptation to climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region.
