KATHMANDU: The Mountain Advocacy Summit-2022 is to be organized in Mustang on March 13 and 14, 2022 to aware the world of the climate change impact in the mountain region.

The objective of the Summit is to draw the attention of all stakeholders towards the problems and challenges faced by the Himalayan region due to the effects of climate change, and towards the possibilities and opportunities as well.

The Summit is to be jointly organized by the Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDAC –Nepal), The Mountain Foundation Nepal, the International Forum for Food Security and Climate Justice, among other organizations.

Executive Director of KIRDARC-Nepal, Govinda Bahadur Shahi informed through a press conference here that the Summit is being held for discussing issues such as the increasing temperature due to climate change and its direct impact on the mountain ecosystem, the protection of biodiversity in the mountain region, and coastal area and the development of tourism.

Stating that the mountainous area is at high risk of climate change impacts, Shahi underlined the need of informing the national and international sectors about this so as to reduce the risk.

Former member of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Min Bahadur Shahi said advocacy at the citizens’ level is required for having a positive influence in the policy-making at the national, regional, and international levels for the protection of biodiversity, art, culture, and civilization as well as the lifestyle of the people in the mountain and coastal areas.

“It is necessary to provide services in an effective manner through the promotion of an accountable and responsible good governance system for the development and preservation of the mountain region.

The development, conservation, and preservation of this region will play an important role in the sustainable development of the entire planet and the biosphere, and not only of specific geography and people’s livelihood,” Shahi said.