<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022120710124/639057359c7e80680e0ce148jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1794" height="952"/>This November, world leaders gather in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt to negotiate, monitor progress on targets, and implement global climate action.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the 27th session of the Conference of Parties, called COP27 for short, will have to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions even as the global economy is hit by the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Across the world, unprecedented climate disasters such as record-breaking heat waves, forest fires and floods are occurring much before predicted by scientists in previous climate summits.The problem now is to acknowledge that the pace of climate change is accelerating, and how to get governments to agree on mitigating the causes and implementing of adapting measures before it takes on even more catastrophic proportions.Hence, the COP27 Egyptian presidency has said its priority is to operationalise climate commitments from previous summits for this year’s annual conference.The UAE, scheduled to host the next summit in Dubai in 2023, has established a close partnership with Egypt to ensure the success of the UNFCCC process.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-greenwashing-in-glasgow/">Nepal’s greenwashing in Glasgow</a>, Rasmi BaskotaThe 2020’s has been called ‘the decade of action’, and the next few years will be critical in determining the magnitude of the consequences of the climate crisis.The most recent scientific report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR6 WGIII) indicates that global GHG emissions need to be reduced by 43% by 2030 to keep warming below 1.5°C. At the previous climate summit in Glasgow last November, it was agreed that countries need to update their nationally determined commitments on reducing emissions by September 23 before COP27 to ensure emission targets are in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement.While the national commitments have clear metrics for emission targets, measurements of the need for adaptation are yet to be agreed upon. COP27 will build on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GlaSS) established in Glasgow to enhance planning and implementation of adaptation measures. At COP27, countries are expected to agree on adaptation targets, which will be a major mandated outcome for COP28.Specifying progress on adaptation goals is also essential as it provides a measure of progress every five years after the Paris Agreement. This first stock take consists of ongoing information collection and preparation, technical assessments, and consideration of outputs, or presentation and discussion of the findings and their implications, in COP28.Read also:  <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/copout-at-cop26/">COPOUT at COP26</a>, Sonia AwaleWhile finance is the key to implementing many of these strategies, developed countries have previously failed to deliver the promised annual $100 billion goal by 2020. However, to maintain trust in this international process, COP26 President Alok Sharma previously requested Canada and Germany to take a lead on the Climate Finance Delivery Plan, which will guide developed countries to reach the annual $100 billion goal by 2023.In late October, Canada and Germany published a progress report on the plan, detailing four key collective actions: enhance transparency for doubling adaptation finance, strengthen climate finance accessibility, highlight contributions from multilateral development banks, and explore mobilisation of private finance.However, the Global South calls for progress on new climate finance goals beyond the $100 billion goal, and also wants rich countries to address ‘loss and damage’ from climate-induced disasters. Starting this year, discussions are already underway for a collective quantified goal on climate finance.In response to climate finance, UAE recognises the need to build capacity for mitigation of climate change. As the president of COP28, the UAE is investing $50 billion towards renewable energy in 40 countries and says it will invest another $50 billion over the next decade. Strengthening renewable energy capacity is crucial because currently most countries are still dependent on fossil fuel imports.The most recent IPCC report indicates that the lifetime GHG projections of existing and currently planned fossil fuel infrastructure already exceed the 1.5°C goal and would reach 2°C warming. This means that to stay at least within the 2°C goal, there should be no more new fossil fuel investments and that they should phased out to tackle the climate crisis.The UAE is still producing oil and exporting them to supply other countries’ energy demands. The recent energy crisis signals countries to depend less on fossil fuels by shifting their dependence to renewable energy sources. However, before the shift happens, the UAE will continue to export oil to other countries because many countries’ economies are still dependent on oil. This again shows that combatting the climate crisis requires ambition and collaboration between all countries to shift away from the dependency on fossil fuels.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/oil-rich-gulf-turns-to-renewable-energy/">Oil-rich Gulf turns to renewable energy</a>, Kunda  DixitThe UAE is the fifth largest crude oil exporting country after Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada and Iraq. To support the international process, the UAE submitted its updated second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in September. The most notable update is its commitment to reducing 31% of GHG emission by 2030, compared to their previous pledge of reducing 23.5% by 2030.This target will bring the UAE closer to its goal of reaching net zero by 2050. This on its own will not meet the global 43% reduction target of 1.5°C as indicated in the latest IPCC report. Nonetheless, this update is significant and a breakthrough in the region, which can inspire more countries to commit on more ambitious target. To raise ambition even further, the UAE plans to releasing its third version NDC in 2023.There are other critical issues also on the table in Sharm el Sheikh, including Article 6, the establishment of a carbon trading system, and loss and damage. While loss and damage has historically been assumed as part of adaptation, ongoing disasters have proven that there is a need to address the consequences of climate change separately.In past climate negotiations, the Global North and Global South have been deeply polarised. With the ongoing global economic crisis, it is unlikely that there will be a positive outcome for this topic. Nevertheless, it gives a lot of room for progress in the climate summits this year in Egypt and next year in UAE on issues like establishing a financial mechanism.As the climate crisis accelerates global impacts, time is running out. Countries thus need to scale up their climate ambition to move the negotiation forward on addressing the climate crisis.This includes abiding by agreements in past COPs and making progress between each COP to support the international process. Different topics of discussion are at different stages of progress and this progress takes place separately in meetings throughout the year.With various ongoing discussions taking place, leadership to support this overall process of addressing climate change is essential. The UAE is supporting the Sharm el Sheikh summit to prepare for next year’s COP28 and to play a leading role in averting the climate crisis.Read more:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/good-cop-bad-cop/">Good COP, Bad COP</a>

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Make or break climate summits

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016114/636d137b9c7e80680e0a9924jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2048" height="1365"/><figcaption>Kathmandu shrouded in smoke and smog from stubble and industrial pollution from northern India, as well as the valley's own vehicular emissions on Monday morning. Photo: AMIT MACHAMASI</figcaption></figure>Just as the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/copout-at-cop26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">deadlocked climate summit in Glasgow</a> was being extended by a day last week, Kathmandu was once again shrouded in smoke and smog from stubble burning and industrial pollution from northern India, as well as the valley’s own vehicular emissions.Nothing could have drawn the link between <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-greenwashing-in-glasgow/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">global negotiations in Scotland</a> to save the planet from catastrophic heating, and the clear and present danger stemming from flawed policies of national governments.India was blamed for watering down the final resolution by changing ‘phaseout’ to ‘phasedown’ of coal, while rich countries like Australia, the US and others did not have to put their cash where their mouths were to make up for historical emissions.There were two Conference of Parties (COPs) going on simultaneously in Glasgow last week: one where mainly male politicians in suits protected their <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/sino-american-impacts-climate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">national interest to negotiate</a> commas and brackets, and the other dominated by young women trying to warn world leaders that it was their future they were messing with.The toxic air covering northern India and Nepal while COP26 was taking place was a stark reminder that developing countries cannot go around hectoring industrialised countries about ‘climate justice’ when their own policies poison their air, water and soil.With winter approaching, it looks like this year’s Indo-Gangetic smog will only get worse since India does not have to ‘phaseout’ coal, and there is no mandatory timetable even for ‘phasing down’.Nepal is not doing much better. Its petroleum import bill is doubling every few years, and we do not see the political commitment to implement provisions in the updated Nationally Determined Contribution, or the Climate Ambition at the Top of the World report that was unveiled in Glasgow.Nepal was praised internationally (and also modestly patted itself in the back) for its three pledges in Glasgow: to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/will-nepal-ever-be-paid-for-saving-trees/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase forest cover</a> to 45% by 2030, start reducing emissions to become carbon negative after 2045, and ensure climate resilience for all vulnerable people by 2030.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016114/636d137d9c7e80680e0a9925jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3600" height="2400"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The forestry target is the most do-able, because Nepal’s total forest area is already at 44.74% -- we just have to make sure no more trees are cut in the next nine years. So, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-must-save-nijgad-forest-to-receive-climate-funds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">no Nijgad</a>.But we have no idea how the government expects to help all Nepalis adapt to climate impact. That goal is so vague and non-measureable as to be meaningless.And then there is the aim to be ‘net-zero’ by 2045. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/net-zero-is-not-zero/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Net-zero is an excuse</a> to keep burning fossil fuel, hoping that forests somewhere will absorb the carbon. Besides, net-zero will not protect citizens from toxic emissions car tailpipes and smokestacks.Nepal’s commitment is conditional upon financial support, and there may be a strong moral argument for ‘loss and damage’ compensation because the country only contributes 0.5% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.However, we do not have to wait for donors in order to switch from petro-energy to hydro, solar and wind. Tax rebates for <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/from-a-fossil-past-to-an-electric-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">electric public transport</a>, subsidies for cooking appliances, switching industries like cement, steel and manufacturing to electricity just need political will.As we have argued here before, Nepal needs to do this not so much to avert a planetary emergency, but to save our economy from collapse, and to protect the public from breathing <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/air-pollution-is-more-dangerous-than-smoking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">poisonous air</a>.Every year, Kathmandu’s pollution level sets a new record. This spring, the Valley’s air quality index (AQI) <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/kathmandu-air-pollution-hits-record-high/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hit nearly 700</a> because of vehicular emissions combined with wildfire smoke. This was 40 times the level deemed safe to breathe by WHO’s new guidelines. Covid patients at ICUs across the country are being replaced by people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Given Nepal’s small carbon footprint, we might even attain net-zero status before 2045 because vehicles manufacturers are going electric, so we could not import diesel buses after 2030 even if we wanted to. But government policy must align with our Glasgow pledges. The on-again-off-again tax rebated on EVs in the past four years does not bode well for the future.In addition, Nepalis need help to adapt to cope with the water crisis and resulting food insecurity as well as the impact of weather-related disasters like <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/still-chasing-the-melamchi-mirage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Melamchi</a> and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/himalayan-floods-a-sign-of-worse-to-come/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Manang</a> this year.After returning from lobbying rich country delegates in Glasgow, Nepali activists and scientists should now turn their attention to putting pressure on our own government to get climate smart.Sonia Awale

Sonia Awale

Good COP, bad COP

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d19fb9c7e80680e0ac84ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"/>It must be a cosmic confluence that just as the world leaders gather in Glasgow next week to try <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/un-climate-report-declares-planetary-emergency/">to save the planet</a>, we in Nepal mark the tragic death 10 years ago of conservation <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=18683#.YXu2I1VBypo">visionary Pralad Yonzon.</a>Yonzon used to commute to work on his bicycle, and on 31 October 2011, as he was pedalling home from office along the Ring Road in Balkhu, a truck rammed into him.This was an enormous loss for Nepal and the country’s conservation community, adding to the dreadful void left by the deaths of Harka Gurung, Chandra Gurung, Mingma Sherpa, Tirthaman Maskey and many other conservation pioneers of Nepal in the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/remembering-nepals-conservation-heroes/">Ghunsa helicopter crash</a> of September 2006.Not only was Yonzon a brilliant and dedicated scientist, he was also a source of inspiration for the many youth whom he mentored. He was a passionate environmentalist and practiced what he preached – using a bicycle for his daily commute.After his death, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19147">road safety activists</a> and cycling enthusiasts have been campaigning for cycle lanes along the Ring Road. They <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/The-road-to-safety,873">painted murals dedicated to Pralad Yonzan</a> on the spot where he lost his life, built a model cycle lane and organised numerous interaction programs and meetings with officials. But so far, nothing has come of it.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d19fd9c7e80680e0ac84bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="400">Sure, promises have been made and studies have been done. Even the contract agreement signed on 18 December 2012 between the Nepal government and Shanghai Construction Group, the Chinese company responsible for the expansion of the Koteswor-Kalanki section included provisions for a bicycle lane on both sides of the Ring Road.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d19ff9c7e80680e0ac84cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1111" height="621"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d1a029c7e80680e0ac84djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="865" height="922">However, when the road was expanded from 2 lanes to 8 lanes, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/re-cycling-kathmandu/">all the lanes were devoted to cars.</a> There was no bicycle lane, and even footpaths are missing at many locations. As a result, the Ring Road continues to be a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/dont-go-quietly-into-the-night/">death trap</a> where many other cyclists have been killed since <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2012/03/25/killer-on-the-run/">Pralad Yonzon</a> lost his life.“Expanding the Ring Road without a cycle lane was a mistake,” admitted  Tulasi Sitaula, former secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Secretary at an interaction program.Many other former government officials and transport experts also agree that Ring Road has not been designed properly. But no one dared to make any changes to it or to ask the Chinese to change the design.The Mayor of Lalitpur Chiri Babu Shreshtha, for example, has designated bicycle lanes in the city, and wanted to extend them to the Ring Road. He has even put it in his city’s annual program, and allocated budget for this purpose. But the Department of Roads is not allowing him to touch the Ring Road.I live across Ring Road in Kirtipur and I used to ride my bicycle to office along the same stretch of Ring Road where Pralad Yonzon was killed. But now my wife does not allow me to ride my bicycle along the expanded Ring Road. She says <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/murder-not-accident/">it is just not safe</a>, and I agree with her.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d1a059c7e80680e0ac84ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="429"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d1a079c7e80680e0ac84fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="405">Even though I have been riding a bicycle for over 40 years in Kathmandu, I do not feel it is safe anymore. I have a bicycle at home and another one at office so that I can ride on either side of Ring Road in Kirtipur and Lalitpur but not from Kirtipur to Lalitpur.31 October 2021 is also the beginning of the most important international meetings conferences of our times -- the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (COP26) – is beginning in Glasgow.A big Nepali delegation led by Prime Minister Deuba is in Glasgow where he is making a speech urging developed countries to reduce their emissions and ask their support for vulnerable countries such as Nepal to adapt to the climate crisis. He will also raise the issue of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/nepal-needs-to-get-its-climate-act-together/">loss and damage</a> caused by the global emergency.But as the Nepali delegation negotiate on the complex issues surrounding the climate crisis, they will also tour Glasgow. I urge them to look out for the over 300km of bicycle lanes around the city of Glasgow, and the light projections set up by <a href="https://www.cyclinguk.org/cop26-cycling-fights-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cycling UK</a> that reads ‘Cycling Fights Climate Change’.European cyclists claim that if Europe cycled 5km a day and they would reach 50% of their targeted emission cuts from the transport sector for 2050. In fact cycling a 4 km (20 min) commute and back instead of driving would cut 1.1 kg CO2 per day, which is almost twice as high as switching to renewable energy or retrofitting insulation in an average home.But for an average Nepali, cycling is more about public health and the economy, rather than cutting carbon. Living in a city where the average air pollution level is 10 times higher than WHO guidelines, it is imperative to do whatever possible to reduce pollution level and improve health. Promoting walking and cycling is one of the most cost effective ways to achieve this.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d1a0b9c7e80680e0ac850jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="720">WHO in its recent report ‘The Health Argument for Climate Action’ says healthier diets, clean air and cycling would double the benefits of reducing disease and tackling climate change.Furthermore, with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/blood-sweat-tears/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">oil imports</a> using up more than twice the amount Nepal earns from all its exports combined, cutting down on petroleum is essential for economic progress.But more importantly, prioritising walking and cycling is about social equity. As Enrique Penalosa, the former mayor of Bogota said during a visit to Kathmandu in 2018, “A protected bicycle lane is a powerful symbol showing that a citizen on a $30 bicycle is as important as one in a $30,000 car.”Ten years ago, I had written in Pralad Yonzon’s memorial, ‘We will miss him dearly. But I hope this unfortunate incident will inspire us to work for bicycle and pedestrian friendly transportation in Kathmandu.’Today as <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/cop26-special-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">COP26</a> kicks off in Glasgow, I hope our Prime Minister and the Nepali delegation realise that solutions to a complex issue need not be complex. A simple machine like the bicycle, which was invented just outside Glasgow almost 200 years ago, can be a solution to our changing climate.  Pralad Yonzon realised that and lived by it. I hope we can too.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/cleaner-air-with-greener-buses/">Bhusan Tuladhar</a> is an environmentalist and Executive Director of Sajha Yatayat.

Cycle to fight climate change

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d183d9c7e80680e0ac7b4png.png" alt="" width="656" height="380"/>A combination of tax rebates, the Dasain-Tihar season, and a public fed up with being cooped for nearly two years due to Covid restrictions is driving a spurt in sales of private electric vehicles in Nepal.Electric car importers are scrambling to meet the<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/e-vehicles-prepare-for-post-lockdown-boom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> surge in post-pandemic and pre-festival demand</a>, but are being held back by global supply chain disruptions due to shortages of microchips, lithium batteries, and maritime cargo capacity.The KP Oli government in May <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/new-nepal-budget-sparks-electric-comeback/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">scrapped taxes imposed last year</a> by his own <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-takes-3-steps-back-on-e-cars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">previous finance minister Yubaraj Khatiwada</a>. The coalition government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has retained the tax breaks.Under the new tax forumla, the excise duty on battery powered cars was withdrawn, and the customs duty was restored to the 10% that had been in place for the past five years. The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/plug-ins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tax cuts in 2016</a> had made electric cars more affordable, and led to a spike in demand. Electric car imports fell to nearly zero after the taxes were reimposed by Khatiwada in May 2020.The Dasain-Tihar festive season is when Nepalis usually splurge on consumer items, and there is usually a rise in purchases of vehicles as well. This year, the tax rebate has made electric compacts, SUVs, and two-wheelers more competitive compared to fossil fuel vehicles.Improvement in technology has increased the range and performance of eVs, and the fall in price for batteries has made them more affordable. Till five years ago, battery-powered cars in Nepal had less than 100km range. Today the new models can go up to 500km – enough for a Kathmandu-Pokhara roundtrip on a single charge.<figure><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Nepali-Times-electric-vehicle-special-NT.jpg" data-elementor-open-lightbox="yes" data-elementor-lightbox-title="Page 8-9.indd"></a></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161124/636d18409c7e80680e0ac7b5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="6000" height="1473"><figcaption> </figcaption>Electric car importers also report a rise in customer demand, a surge in queries from people who are tired of being locked down for nearly two years, and want to be out and about – and that means being able to drive to Biratnagar or Bhairawa and beyond on the new e-SUVs without stopping to recharge.Brands that have a head start with battery power in Nepal are Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra, MG, TATA, and a plethora of Chinese brands like BYD, Great Wall Motors, Dahe, and Derry.Besides range, potential buyers in Nepal will be looking at ruggedness, interior space, and ground clearance. While some of the fancier SUVs are attractive to look at and have a rocket-like takeoff, it may be more important in Nepal to see that the cars have more than 180mm ground clearance – otherwise you will be scraping your expensive bottom on road craters.Much more critical than a formidable acceleration of 0-60km in 4.6 seconds is also charging time and battery life. Most lithium-ion batteries have an 8-year warranty these days, and need 1 hour to recharge 80% with DC fast charge. Charging at home with a 15amp wall plug should not take more than 8 hours.Despite everything, the electric car’s main attraction with the tax rebate is the<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/from-a-fossil-past-to-an-electric-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> money you save on fuel</a>. An average diesel SUV needs Rs5,500 to fill its 40l fuel tank, but an electric version of the same vehicle will cost less than Rs500 for a complete charge for a 350km range. Multiply this by the volume of diesel you burn in an average month, and the savings add up.The electric vehicles in the market now come with battery packs ranging from 20kWh to 64kWh, giving them ranges of 120km to nearly 500km – depending, of course, on AC use.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pr72QL_ScENepalis did not take on to electric cars till now because higher taxes made them more expensive than a diesel vehicle with similar specs, but now there is no excuse. The upfront cost of electric and diesel vehicles are about the same, and energy savings make eVs more competitive.The other reason eVs had become popular was that owners paid zero in road tax, saving up to Rs35,000 a year. However, this year’s budget has retained the road tax announced by Khatiwada last year: Rs15,000 per year for battery cars in the 50-125kW range, Rs20,000 for e-vehicles of 126-225kW, and Rs30,000 for cars in the 226-and above range. Fair enough, private vehicles are a luxury in this country.However, after taking one step forward on electric cars in this year’s budget, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has taken two steps back. Despite the pledge to switch to renewable energy for transport, last month he slashed taxes on the import of 10 or more diesel buses by new luxury hotels to 1%. That move appears to be designed specifically to suit certain business interests. Then it cut by half the duty on petrol motorcycle assembly in Nepal, completely contradicting its policy on pushing electric transport.Nepal has announced it will stop selling fossil fuel cars by 2031. And this sounds like a bold move, until you realise that India and China (from where most of our cars and two-wheelers are imported) will be switching fully to battery or hydrogen powered vehicles by 2030, anyway.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/the-road-to-electric-transportation-in-nepal/">The road to electric transportation in Nepal</a>, Diya Rijal

Fully charged, and ready to go

<figure><img width="2500" height="1000" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02c29c7e80680e0a369ajpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden address the 76th UN General Assembly on 21 September. Photos: XINHUA</figcaption></figure>The United Nations General Assembly is convening just six weeks ahead of the UN’s <a href="https://ukcop26.org/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsmi=161546698&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--0Nb0aCJfKbuXurhC9tp5Brnlsgfm6CQiM_TgmpgNe1suEm2nGWaaFivokaKzWAHEc_14PGQYlPcD6oz-uLA7srNPfvw&amp;utm_content=161546698&amp;utm_source=hs_email">COP26 climate conference</a> in Glasgow, and follows a stark warning from the United Nations last week that the voluntary Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) by countries is not at all enough to stop cataclysmic climate collapse.
The UN collated the pledges by the world’s 191 countries and projected that the earth’s surface would be 2.7 Celsius hotter by 2100. This warning is even starker <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/un-climate-report-declares-planetary-emergency/">than the report to governments</a> by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) last month that laid out a best-case scenario in which despite reduced greenhouse gas emissions, global average temperature was still set to exceed 1.5°C by the turn of the century.
This means countries must not only have more ambitious targets in their NDCs, but richer countries must do more, and giants like India and China have to wean themselves away faster from fossil fuels. What they have committed to so far is just not enough.
Some of this is the subject of a meeting of 40 world leaders in New York this week co-chaired by UN Secretary General António Guterres and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of the Glasgow Climate Summit. Guterres told the General Assembly that the world needed to reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 to stabilise the climate. On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that China would stop building more coal-fired power plants abroad, the US President Joe Biden promised $11 billion to help developing countries adapt to the climate crisis.
Nepal, being one of the most vulnerable countries in world to a hotter world, the tenor of the discussion in New York this week will literally determine our future. Not only are our mountains melting in front of our eyes, but erratic weather means more floods, landslides and droughts that have dried up springs. Scientists have said that t<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-biden-presidency-climate-and-the-himalaya/">he Himalaya</a> will get hotter faster than other parts of the world, and could warm by 1.8-2.2°C by the turn of the century.
Adapting to a hotter Himalaya will need money for climate resilient agriculture, lowering flood risk of glacial lakes, and help to transition to renewable energy. But when Nepal’s delegate at the General Assembly gets up to speak in New York next week to ask for more pledges for adaptation, it will carry very little moral authority if the government back home is backtracking on its own NDC commitments.
And that is what is happening. After taking one step forward with tax rebates on electric cars in this year’s budget, the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken two steps back. This week, it slashed taxes on the import of 10 or more diesel buses by new luxury hotels to 1%. It cut by half the duty on petrol motorcycle assembly in Nepal.
The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is so bloated with cash that it gets from taxing petroleum that it is investing in high rise office blocks in Kathmandu, putting up more petroleum storage facilities and planning new pipelines. The government still has pipe dreams about building a mega-airport in Nijgad. They just don’t get it.  
What Nepal should have done is slash taxes not just on battery cars, but also on electric public transport. At the moment the tax for electric or diesel buses is the same. At this rate, there is no way Nepal is going to meet its commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and its commitment to net-zero by 2050.
In fact, the Ministry of Environment’s submission to the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last month revealed that <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-doubles-its-carbon-footprint/">Nepal’s carbon footprint had doubled</a> in the past 10 years to 28,166 gigagrams of carbon dioxide (Gg CO2) annually.
Ironically, at a time when the government seems to be actively promoting diesel buses to benefit a few of the richest hotel owners in the country, and has done nothing to reduce the tax on electric buses, its NDC pledges to strengthen public transport and turn 90% of all vehicles electric by 2030.
The NDC document says that Nepal will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2030 – that is laughably unlikely given the current policies in place. One arm of the government has no idea what the other is doing.
All this is critical not just because Nepal needs to do its bit to reduce its carbon emissions and to slash its ballooning petroleum import bill, but also so that the country can secure funds from the UNFCCC for adaptation measures.  
In fact, consistent delays in completing and submitting these reports to the UN has meant that much of the resources Nepal could have mobilised for climate action have lapsed.

Nepal needs to get its climate act together

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2929c7e80680e083eb7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1800" height="1050"/><figcaption>Photo: NEPAL OIL CORPORATION</figcaption></figure>The global pandemic hijacked 2020 and reset priorities, but countries now need to regroup and renew their commitment to cap global warming at well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, as agreed in Paris in 2015.On 12 December, it will be the fifth anniversary of the signing of the landmark climate accord when 196 countries, including Nepal, will be presenting their <a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nationally Determined Contributions</a> (NDCs) to reduce the impact of the climate crisis.NDCs are voluntary commitments by countries to reduce their carbon footprints, but there are fears that a world in the throes of a Covid-19 induced economic crisis will follow through on past commitments—even as scientists warn that the earth is warming much more rapidly than forecast five years ago in Paris.The Himalaya is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/human-face-of-a-himalayan-climate-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">literally a hotspot</a> because the mountains are warming faster than the global average. But activists say Nepal's own 'Enhanced NDC' does not go far enough in mitigating carbon emissions, or adapting to the impact of the climate emergency.The document has been put up for public comment and is subject to revision. Its highlight is that Nepal for the first time mentions ‘net-zero emission’ as a future goal.But the document does not give a timeline to achieve it, and only says that the country will formulate 'a long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategy' sometime next year.In the region, Bhutan has already declared itself carbon neutral—meaning its forests absorb more than the CO2 it emits. China, responsible for 28% of total annual carbon emissions, recently pledged peak emission before 2030 and attain net-zero by 2060. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-biden-presidency-climate-and-the-himalaya/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">President-elect Joe Biden </a>as committed that the US, which contributes 15% of CO2 annually, to zero carbon emissions by 2050, as have Japan, South Korea and the UK.India, the fourth largest CO2 emitter globally, is lagging but has been investing heavily in solar power, and by setting targets to electrify railways and phasing out diesel and petroleum vehicles by 2030.Nepali activists say the country's NDC could have gone much further to set realistic firm pledges, since it is starting from such a low carbon base."We could have easily set a target of net-zero by 2050. In fact, we can achieve it by 2030 if we are really committed," says environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar. "Our emission is negligible, we are a low-carbon economy and have much cleaner sources of energy like hydroelectricity at our disposal."In 2014, a report showed that Nepal's forest area had doubled in 25 years, and it absorbed half of Nepal's total emissions from burning fossil fuels. However, another report last year showed that carbon emission was rising faster than vegetation cover, and frequent wildfires were themselves pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere.<a style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/ipcc-report-and-nepals-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Manjeet Dhakal</a>, adviser to the Least Developed Countries support group at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) says: "I'm pretty confident we will achieve net-zero by 2050. But what is important in this discussion is that, while we may be among the smallest emitters, our emissions are increasing and forests are not absorbing CO2 as they used to."<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2959c7e80680e083eb8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="555"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be2989c7e80680e083eb9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="425"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be29b9c7e80680e083ebajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="890" height="464">Nepal's annual per capita carbon emission is one of the lowest in the world at 0.29 tons. In comparison, an average American pumps 16 tons of carbon every year, and Qataris burn 37 tons. However, Nepal's per capita emission is rising significantly due to the growing import of petroleum products and thermal electricity from India.As new roads are built and more vehicles imported, Nepal's main driver of fossil fuel consumption is the transportation sector. Motorcycles account for 80% of all vehicles in Nepal, and phasing them out for battery-powered two-wheelers would significantly reduce petroleum imports.Electric public transport will need subsidies from the government and investors but it also means utilising Nepal's clean energy from hydropower and further reducing our carbon footprint. Last fiscal year, Nepal's petroleum import reached Rs200 billion— 2.2 times higher than the country's total income from exports. Imports of diesel, petrol, aviation fuel and LPG went down slightly in 2020 due to the pandemic and lockdowns.<a style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/cleaner-air-with-greener-buses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Switching to electric public transport</a> and battery vehicles to reduce the petroleum import bill by just 10% would save Rs21 billion a year. This will also clean up the air. Air pollution <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/double-whammy-air-pollution-and-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">killed 41,000 people in Nepal last year</a>. This winter that risk for patients with respiratory issues is combined with Covid-19 complications.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be29d9c7e80680e083ebbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="683"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Bishwo Nath Oli, Secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Environment agrees. "We plan to produce 15,000MW of clean energy by 2030 and we need a strategy so that it is properly consumed and utilised. Electrification of transport is the best way to go about it, along with electric stoves and biomass to cut emissions significantly."Nepal's Enhanced NDC has set a target of turning 25% of all private passenger vehicles sales, including two-wheelers, to electric. It also aims to make 20% of all four-wheel public transport battery-powered by 2025. Most of Nepal's three-wheel vehicles are already electric.Planners hope to increase these numbers to 90% and 60% by 2030. Similarly, in 10 years Nepal aims to develop 200km of electric rail network.But activists are sceptical. Prime Minister KP Oli had declared in 2018 that 25% of all vehicles in Nepal would be electric by 2020. However, Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/why-nepal-needs-to-restore-ev-tax-subsidy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">scrapped tax subsidies for electric vehicles</a> in this year's budget, although his successor has restored some rebate for smaller battery-powered cars.But even if these targets are met, they are too conservative, says Bhushan Tuladhar. "Our targets are often too ambitious or too relaxed. With the new NDCs, we can see this pattern in sectors such as industry, waste and agriculture which are either too vague or too conservative," he adds.Planners have also not taken into account that the cost of electric vehicles is already at par with diesel vehicles of the same capacity, and will decline further as the price of lithium-ion batteries continues to fall. Increased affluence means more people will opt for two-wheelers and automobiles, most likely electric, especially as India and China phase out production of diesel and petrol vehicles.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181124/636be29f9c7e80680e083ebcjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>While Nepal's voluntary commitment sets a target to reduce coal consumption and air pollution from brick and cement industries by 2030, it does not mention how, and by how much. The NDC document only says the government will 'formulate guidelines and establish mechanisms' by 2025 to monitor emissions from large industries.On the waste sector, the NDC says that by 2025, 380 million litres/day of wastewater will be treated before discharge to natural courses, and 60,000 cubic meters/year of faecal sludge will be managed. But it has targeted only 100 of Nepal's 753 municipalities for waste segregation, recycling and waste-to-energy programs by 2030.Nepal's 2016 NDC pledged to increase forest cover to 40% of the total area, and here the country exceeded the target and current forest cover stands at 44.74%. The new NDC has included more community forests, and says 60% of Nepal's area will be forest, pledging to stop deforestation of the Chure range.Similarly, intercropping, agroforestry, conservation tillage and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/building-an-information-bridge-for-nepals-farmers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">climate-smart agricultural technologies</a> are all mentioned in the NDC, but missing conspicuously from the discussion is farm mechanisation.Nepal aims to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/decentralising-hydropower/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase hydroelectricity generation </a> rom the current 1,400MW to 15,000 by 2030. Of this, 5,000MW is an unconditional target, and the remainder is contingent on funding from the international community. In fact, Nepal will need $25 billion to meet its NDC targets, and most of this will be dependent on foreign aid.Manjeet Dhakal admits the targets in the new NDC may not be ambitious, but he says they are realistic. He adds: "For the longest time Nepal was the most vulnerable to climate change. But time has come for us to show our leadership and commitment to net-zero by implementing the targets set."

Blueprint for a net-zero Nepal

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108151124/636a66b79c7e80680e05999ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1190"/><figcaption>Illustration: DIWAKAR CHHETRI</figcaption></figure>One week before the United Nation’s 25th<a href="https://unclimatesummit.org/?gclid=CjwKCAiAis3vBRBdEiwAHXB29Hs3t4U4RCRgc-vHC6TCeh5U--cUF8aUmdNigkplmiVAby7wThMzsRoChBQQAvD_BwE" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://unclimatesummit.org/?gclid%3DCjwKCAiAis3vBRBdEiwAHXB29Hs3t4U4RCRgc-vHC6TCeh5U--cUF8aUmdNigkplmiVAby7wThMzsRoChBQQAvD_BwE&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260350000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHWCqLviMRMsw9bSAViIktna7XZrg">Conference of Parties (COP25)</a> began in Madrid the <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/2019-concludes-decade-of-exceptional-global-heat-and-high-impact-weather" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/2019-concludes-decade-of-exceptional-global-heat-and-high-impact-weather&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260350000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFmSpmFfTt24OskE4fKp46gojGwFg">World Meteorological Organisation </a>warned that by 2100 the average global temperature is likely to increase by 3 to 5o Celsius above the preindustrial average. This is almost three times higher than the goals set by the 2015 Paris Accord.Earlier, the <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.unenvironment.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260350000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFqZokBCtUTv1oaLPg92HjoT18iPw">UN Environment Programme (UNEP)</a> had said that in the coming decade global GHG emissions need to fall by 7.6% annually to meet the goals of Paris Accord. But this goal seems unachievable, and we will likely be seeing increasing impacts on natural systems in the coming ten years up to 2030 and beyond.Read also: <a style="letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/global-heating-melts-mountains/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global heating melts mountains</a><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-terrifying-assessment-of-himalayan-melting/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-terrifying-assessment-of-himalayan-melting/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260351000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFlRDWlvAwmgvfokPs5HZ7eoEceAA">A January 2019 assessment by the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)</a> had warned that if the present emissions rates continue (which from the waffling in Madrid looks certain) two-thirds of Himalayan glaciers will be gone during this century.‘Even if the average global temperature is kept below 1.5̊oC, as envisaged by 2015 Paris Accord, glacier volumes will decline by one-third,’ the report said. ‘Snow-covered areas and snow volumes will decrease over the coming decades due to increased temperatures and snowline elevations will rise.’In 2019, Iceland's Okjokull and Switzerland’s Pizol glaciers disappeared. Will Himalayan glaciers and snow volumes face a similar fate? Referring to the Gangotri Glacier, Journalist <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ganges-Encounters-Saints-Sinners-Indias/dp/1250057353" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Ganges-Encounters-Saints-Sinners-Indias/dp/1250057353&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260351000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGSLZt4pSvJPvrHnoOCiLR_tetaAw">George Black in his book On the Ganges, Encounters With Saints and Sinners Along India’s Mythic River</a> writes: ‘When glaciers decay, they become sad, derelict things. The ice cracks and crumbles and turns dirty pale blue before melting away altogether.’The disruptions in the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-third-pole-is-warming-faster-than-expected/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-third-pole-is-warming-faster-than-expected/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260351000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF_LsNSSyqX_ysmAzscrVc1kl6nSg">Himalayan snow ecosystem are real</a> and will occur along with similar disruptions in the midhill and the plains. Changes in rainfall patterns are affecting conditions that sustain ecosystems, leading to the depletion of springs in the midhills with significant implications on the health and livelihoods of people living in them. Frequent and high-intensity rainfall, landslides, and floods damage communities, decrease diversity of species, and increase disease and pest dynamics.The changes in rainfall and snowmelt will continue to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/global-heating-melts-mountains/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/global-heating-melts-mountains/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1576316260351000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH4vXzPsAg99tDZQpaHtmAVzLXS1g">lower dry season river flows</a> in the coming decade, leading to declines in the availability of fresh water, resulting in lower crop yields, reduced electricity production and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/nepals-silent-emergency-springs-going-dry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased water stress</a>  Longer hot periods, increased energy needed for running air-condition for example will be hallmark of the 2020-2030 decade.The implications of these decade-long changes have not really hit the political class and civic leaders in Nepal and in other South Asian countries which have always shown short political time horizons. Most of them consider <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/climate-climax/">climate change</a> to be something in the distant future, nothing to worry about now, a problem that someone, somewhere (mostly in developed west), will provide technical and financial solutions for.Yes, solutions will be technical and require new funds, but how we deal with the impending changes are fundamentally governed by cultural, economic and political considerations. Greenhouse gas emissions are not decreasing fast enough,and adaptation is unlikely to be automatic, linear or straightforward.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/migration-mitigation/?preview_nonce=066ab9802a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Migration mitigation</a>, Editorial<a style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-must-prepare-for-climate-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepal must prepare for climate migration</a>, Sonia AwaleSea level rise is a perfect example of this complexity. A 2019 report by US based Climate Central suggests says that by 2050, 42 million Bangladeshi and 36 million in coastal India are likely to be vulnerable to sea level rise. An earlier estimate was only of 5 million each in the two countries. Displacement due to sea level rise will present major challenges for governance, urban development and alternative livelihoods for those seeking safer locations. This new wave of migration will not begin 30 years from today, but is already happening and will accelerate.A recent OXFAM report says that climate fueled disasters were the number one driver of internal displacement over the last decade, forcing more than 20 million people a year to leave their homes. Given the current political backlash against migrants and refugees seen in many countries, the movement of people across borders will more even more curtailed. Yet people will keep moving, though migration will be much harder and increasingly unsafe. Though landlocked, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-must-prepare-for-climate-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepal may not remain immune</a> to this upheaval, as the arrival of Burmese Rohingya refugees through Bangladesh and India has shown.Throughout human history, entire civilisations have been affected by droughts and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-villages-learn-to-cope-with-climate-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">floods</a>. It is also a strategy to escape poverty and insecurity stemming from political hazards. Migration is not only the result of such push factors, but many pull factors such as jobs and better livelihoods. Today, about 2-3 million Nepali people live outside the country, mostly as wage workers.Climate change is likely to further accentuate prevailing societal imbalances, inequalities and other societal fault lines. These will seriously stretch institutional capacity to manage any <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/migration-mitigation/?preview_nonce=066ab9802a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new wave of migration</a>  The socially excluded, marginalised, uneducated and those with limited livelihood options will be pushed into greater desperation.In the past year, 15 major reports have come out warning of the threats to humanity and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/between-existence-and-extinction-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ecosystems</a> from the climate emergency. The tens of millions of people at the frontlines facing these new threats will be the aged, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/women-in-climate-hot-spots-face-challenges-adapting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women</a>  children, peasants, fisherfolk and those making a living off already-depleted natural resources. The political challenge is to act now to avoid potential social and political catastrophe in the future. The longer we wait, the bigger will the price humanity will pay.Ajay Dixit is Executive Director of Kathmandu based ISET-Nepal. His monthly column Climate for Change in Nepali Times deals with the impact of global heating in Nepal and the region.

Make-or-break decade for climate action

<figure><img width="1100" height="549" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108141116/636a57359c7e80680e0547cbjpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>CARBON NEUTRAL: Yeti Airlines has a policy to cut carbon use with more fuel-efficient ATR-72 aircraft, and battery-powered vans.</figcaption></figure>Last month, young climate change activist Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean for 15 days on a zero-carbon yacht. After the UN <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Action Summit</a>, she will sail on to Chile for another climate meeting. Thunberg is trying to show people around the world that reducing one’s carbon footprint may be difficult, but it is possible. But for the 2 million tourists expected to arrive in Nepal next year, sailing is not an option. Road travel is not feasible. Their only mode of entry into Nepal? Flying.With growing global awareness about the climate emergency, many air travellers have started thinking about cutting down on travel. Those who do take to the skies can shop on Google for carbon credits to offset the fossil fuel they burn.A roundtrip flight on a modern wide body airliner from Europe to Kathmandu emits nearly 3 tons of carbon dioxide per passenger. With Nepal expecting 2 million tourists arriving in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/business/yetis-electric-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Nepal Year 2020</a>, passengers could be emitting a total of more than 4 million tons of carbon next year. Read Also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32892&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tree-mendous,</a> Peter Gill<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32877&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It's a jungle out there,</a> Ajaya Dixit<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32887&amp;preview_nonce=fd922bf38d&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trees, politics and greed,</a> Mukesh Pokharel <img width="200" height="200" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108141116/636a57379c7e80680e0547ccjpeg.jpg" alt="">Although civil aviation contributes only 3% of the carbon dioxide that is blamed for the greenhouse effect heating the planet, the proportion is growing at 5-10% a year. Airlines like Emirates, Jetstar, Qantas and Delta are at the forefront of offsetting carbon emissions with bio-fuels or by buying carbon credits to offset their emissions. Qantas claims it has been carbon neutral since 2007 by offseting 2.5 million tons of carbon.However, many environmentalists say <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19901#.XXoaQS4zbIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carbon offsetting</a> does not go to the heart of the problem: cutting consumption, and being less wasteful. Besides, they question carbon offsetting itself, which has become a big business.In Nepal, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2018/01/28/yeti-reduces-carbon-footprint/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yeti Airlines has made an effort to offset its carbon emission</a> by fulfilling the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2017/05/19/yeti-pushes-global-goals/">UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #8</a>, which targets climate action to reduce carbon emissions.With help from the UN Development Programme, Yeti conducted a carbon audit, then implemented CO2 reduction measures with help from Impacti Solutions, which designs sustainability solutions for businesses.Yeti Airlines had to offset 19,655 metric tons of CO2 emitted by its aircraft, ground vehicles and buildings. The company created a three-fold <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/business/carbon-neutral-yeti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carbon neutrality plan</a>, which includes buying carbon credits, reducing fuel consumption for vehicles and replacing its fuel-guzzling BAe Jetstream 41s with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/business/yeti-adds-atr-72/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ATR-72-500s</a>, cutting emissions per flight by 20%. Yeti bought carbon credits from a hydropower company in Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh in India at 50 cents per metric ton of carbon. Both companies used the funds to plant trees around their project site and improve their operational efficiency.While Yeti says it would have preferred to purchase UN certified credits locally, the ones available in Nepal have hefty price tags and are limited.“Buying carbon credit at $15 per metric ton of carbon from REDD at $5 per metric ton of carbon from the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) was not viable for us,” explained Yeti Airlines CEO Umesh Rai.One problem with carbon credits is that there is no guarantee funds will be used for the activities they are designed for. The credits may go to credible companies, but planting trees and commitments to energy efficiency need to be monitored.Read Also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-third-pole-is-warming-faster-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Third Pole is warming faster than expected</a>, Kunda Dixit<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/protecting-kathmandus-historic-roofscape/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protecting Kathmandu’s historic roofscape</a>, Anne FeenstraYeti Airlines is also moving to reduce plastic use, and has replaced half a million plastic cups with paper ones and donated its tyres to Shanti Sewa Griha, a non-profit group that that recycles and upcycles them. It is also trying out <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/business/yetis-electric-future/" data-wplink-edit="true">Mahindra electric vans</a> to replace its petrol ones.Adds Rai: “Each of our vans travels 150km a day and emit 5 tons of greenhouse gases a year. If we convert all our vans into electric, we will not just save money but reduce our carbon footprint as well.”While these efforts are admirable and set a precedent for other airlines in Nepal, environmental activists say offsetting carbon emissions offer only a band-aid solution. However, Yeti’s Rai says: “Once you start the journey to go green, you gain momentum. There is a shift to a greener mindset in the company, but real change will only come with greater public awareness.”  This story is part of <a style="background-color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/world-joins-to-cover-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covering Climate Now</a>, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.  Read Also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32805&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate-health emergency,</a> Sonia Awale<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32856&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Summit leads packed UN agenda,</a> Thalif Deen<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32868&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mosquitoes move up mountains as the earth warms,</a> Sonia Awale

Tourism, aviation and carbon

<figure><img width="1000" height="1333" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108141116/636a572f9c7e80680e0547c8jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Photo: KUNDA DIXIT</figcaption></figure>There is a tendency on the part of governments to blame everything on climate change. It lets them off the hook. In Nepal, a politician once even said Kathmandu’s garbage problem was caused by global warming.Many of Nepal’s chronic crises, like food insecurity, under-development, inequality and poor governance, pre-date the climate emergency. Government neglect, apathy and the failure of past authoritarian and democratically-elected leaders to address these structural problems are why Nepal is in the state it is in today.The climate emergency is just the latest crisis to hit Nepal, making all our pre-existing problems worse. Climate change crowds out the other crises because it is treated as a standalone problem.  <img width="200" height="200" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108141116/636a57329c7e80680e0547c9jpeg.jpg" alt="">Many of the measures the government says it plans to take in response to the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/climate-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global climate crisis</a> should be carried out anyway, regardless of whether the earth is warming or not. For example, we should switch from a fossil fuel-based economy to renewable energy, we must promote solar and take local adaptation measures because our economy demands the efficiency — not only because Greenland is thawing.  Read also: <a style="letter-spacing: 0.15px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32856&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Summit leads packed UN agenda,</a> Thalif Deen Let’s face it: what we do or do not do in Nepal is not going to save the planet. With an annual carbon footprint of 0.12 tons per capita (Qatar’s footprint is 40 tons) Nepal’s contribution to atmospheric carbon is negligible.But, for the past three years, Nepal has imported Rs20 billion worth of electricity annually from India, generated by coal-fired thermal plants in Bihar, doubling the average Nepali’s carbon footprint.This is on top of the Rs100 billion worth of diesel, LPG and petrol that Nepal will import from India this fiscal year. The growth in Nepal’s petroleum use is the fastest among South Asia countries, and has more than <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-cost-of-light/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doubled in the last two years</a>. Since it is all imported, this has increased our trade imbalance with India.Read Also: <a style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32892&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tree-mendous</a><a style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32892&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">,</a> Peter Gill<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32849&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tourism, aviation, and carbon,</a> Sanghamitra Subba Yes, there is a need to address historical emissions by industrialised nations that have brought about global heating, and Nepal’s demand in international fora for resources for climate adaptation is fair. But India, China and Indonesia now exceed the total carbon emissions in Europe and North America combined. The Asia-Pacific is now responsible for half of global carbon dioxide emissions. For Nepal, adaptation and mitigation must now go hand in hand. We need to adapt to erratic weather, extreme rainfall events, and be prepared for future glacial lake outbursts. But Nepal also needs to cut emissions -- not just to save its glaciers from disappearing, but to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/cash-for-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">save our economy from collapse.</a>Read Also: <a style="font-weight: bold; background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32877&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It's a jungle out there</a>, Ajaya Dixit<a style="background-color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.15px; font-weight: bold;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32805&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate-health emergency,</a> Sonia Awale We could do with budgetary support to implement national strategies to build up <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/editorial/going-green-environment-day,3064" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carbon stock</a> and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/editorial/a-fossil-economy,1411">reduce dependence on fossil fuels</a>, but ultimately it is about planning smart and being energy efficient.It is not that Nepal is not moving in the right direction. It is just that it is not moving fast enough. The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/from-the-nepali-press/more-than-half-of-nepals-electricity-imported-from-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepal Electricity Authority</a> (NEA) under Kul Man Ghising got a lot of credit for doing away with power cuts by scrapping the black market in electricity through dedicated circuits and importing the shortfall from India. This monsoon, Nepal actually managed to bank power in India for the first time.In anticipation of a surge in electric vehicles, NEA plans to install 30 fast-charging stations along highways. Ghising has called on consumers to switch to induction stoves and rice cookers in the kitchen to replace LPG use. It will be cheaper for families, reduce Nepal’s import bill and slash carbon emissions. Read also: <a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32887&amp;preview_nonce=fd922bf38d&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trees, politics and greed,</a> Mukesh Pokharel<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32864&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Third Pole is warming faster than expected</a>, Kunda Dixit Much more needs to be done to invest in solar power, including installing more large-scale generators with storage capacity and household-level rooftop panels. With reverse metering NEA can buy back electricity in the daytime, and one recent calculation showed that Kathmandu Valley alone could generate 100MW using solar even if only south-facing rooftops were used. The beauty of it is that there will be minimum system loss in transmission. To even out demand, NEA needs to be freed of the stranglehold of its political unions so it can introduce seasonal and time-of-day tariffs.The spread of community electricity bodes well for reducing pilferage and other losses. There has been a surge in new private <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/climate-risk-to-hydropower-investment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investment in hydropower plants</a> in the 5-20MW range all over the country. This gives villages the power to adapt to climate change -- water can be pumped up from rivers for year-round irrigation in the Karnali and elsewhere.It is time Nepali officials stopped using climate change as an excuse, and started upscaling measures that we know work to reduce our petroleum import, salvage the economy and help save the planet.This story is part of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/world-joins-to-cover-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covering Climate Now</a>, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.  Read Also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32872&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protecting Kathmandu’s historic roofscape,</a> Anne Feenstra<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=32868&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mosquitoes move up mountains as the earth warms,</a> Sonia Awale <h2><h2 data-elementor-setting-key="title" data-pen-placeholder="Type Here..." style="letter-spacing: 0.15px;">10 years ago this week</h2></h2> Reading <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=16300#.XXoU4y4zbIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this State of the State column</a> by CK Lal from Nepali Times edition #468 of 11-18 September shows us how far we have come, and how things are no different from 10 years ago:'Despite a concerted disinformation campaign against the Maoists, it is Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's hubris that lies at the centre of the parliamentary deadlock in the Constituent Assembly. Under Nepal's leadership, the UML boycotted the entire winter session of Parliament in 2001, so he must know the difficulty of extricating an opposition party from a self-destructive, confrontational course. Koirala and Nepal need to accept that there is no place for their old antagonism in the present scheme of things. <img width="323" height="500" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108141116/636a57349c7e80680e0547cajpeg.jpg" alt="">They need to make peace with Pushpa Kamal Dahal for their own good and for the future of peace and democracy in the country.'

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