KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle returned home on Sunday after participating in various high-level programmes during the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP-31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, currently underway in Türkiye.
During the conference, Minister Wagle took part in around a dozen programmes and addressed the Seventh Biennial Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Finance on behalf of 44 least developed countries (LDCs).
He also presented a policy concept titled ‘Fiscal Space for Resilience’ for discussion and formally joined the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, established seven years ago, making Nepal its 105th member.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who is leading a global campaign for debt relief following disasters, and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who is set to chair the G-20, representing around 85 percent of the global economy, expressed their commitment to cooperating on a special international support package.
The Finance Minister also discussed future programmes with senior officials of the Green Climate Fund (GCF). He delivered a special address in Geneva to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on the Climate Measurement Fund programme.
In addition, he gave an interview to the US newspaper The New York Times and participated in an event honouring the 100 most influential people in climate-related issues selected by TIME magazine for 2026.
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