Sep 03, Kathmandu - Manish Jha, a Member of Parliament from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has urged the international community to recognize Nepal’s disproportionate suffering caused by climate change and called for reparations rather than mere relief. Speaking in English during today’s House of Representatives session, Jha highlighted Nepal’s minimal contribution to global carbon emissions yet substantial impact from climate change.

He questioned, “Nepal’s forests cover over 46% of the land, and the country’s carbon emissions are less than 1%. Why should Nepal bear the brunt of climate change?” Jha emphasized that climate change effects should not be seen solely as natural disasters but as a consequence of contributions from major emitters.

Pointing to the roles of major emitters like India, China, and the United States, Jha insisted that Nepal must actively raise the issue of compensation at international forums. “We should not be asking for relief; we need to demand compensation,” he asserted.

Jha called on all political parties to unite in voicing Nepal’s plight regarding climate change impacts and urged the government to strongly articulate Nepal’s position at international forums and climate summits. He underscored that Nepal’s low emissions and extensive forest cover should be leveraged to advocate for climate justice and reparations.

While Nepal has contributed minimally to climate change, the country faces increasing risks such as rising temperatures in the Himalayan region, glacier melting, floods, landslides, and heavy rainfall. Jha conveyed that the international community must fulfill its responsibility toward vulnerable nations like Nepal.

His speech highlighted the urgent need for the international community to acknowledge the stark gap between Nepal’s negligible contribution to climate change and the severe damages it endures, emphasizing the importance of climate justice and compensation.