KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Manish Jha has said Nepal should seek compensation from developed countries for the disasters the country is facing due to climate change.
Speaking during the special session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Jha said the flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa was not caused by Nepal and that developed countries responsible for excessive carbon emissions must take responsibility for the resulting damage.
“We should seek compensation from them, not relief. We should not ask them to send relief; we should demand compensation for carbon emissions,” he said.
According to Jha, Nepal contributes less than 0.0025 percent of global carbon emissions, yet it has suffered significant losses from disasters linked to climate change.
“If the flood did not occur because of us, why should we continue to bear the losses?” he questioned.
He said major carbon-emitting countries such as China, the United States and India should take responsibility for the losses suffered by low-emitting countries like Nepal. He also noted that Nepal is promoting clean energy through the use of electric vehicles and hydropower.
Jha urges government to raise issue at UN
Jha urged Prime Minister Balendra Shah to raise Nepal’s concerns with the international community without delay.
He said the Prime Minister should attend the United Nations General Assembly and draw global attention to the damage Nepal is suffering from climate change.
“We need to raise questions before the world by referring to the UN conventions and provisions of international law. We need to go to the UN and raise our voice,” Jha said, adding that his party was ready to support such efforts.
Praises political parties’ support
Jha said the support and solidarity shown by all political parties toward the RSP-led government in responding to the disaster following the Bhotekoshi flood was commendable.
He said it was positive that all parties participated in the all-party meeting convened at the RSP’s initiative and presented their views.
Jha also said society had united during the disaster. He cited the example of residents of Raghunathpur in Dhanusha, who, despite struggling to manage their own daily meals, were collecting relief supplies to send to flood- and landslide-hit areas in the hills.
“We have heard that when floods and landslides hit the hills, the Tarai has to stand with them and bear the burden. That is now happening at the community level,” he said.
‘Police does not have a single helicopter’
Jha praised security personnel for their rescue efforts despite limited resources and said the fact that the Nepal Police does not have its own helicopter was a serious concern.
“Our police does not have even a single helicopter. In other countries, even television stations have helicopters. Are our police expected to operate only with batons?” he questioned.
He also praised security personnel for continuing rescue operations even after some of their own colleagues were swept away and went missing in the Bhotekoshi flood.
Jha stressed that the damage caused by the Bhotekoshi flood should not be viewed merely as an issue of immediate relief and rescue but should also be raised internationally as a matter of climate justice.
“We do not want our future generations to suffer this damage as well,” he said. “The time has come for those responsible for carbon emissions to compensate us.”
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