Ground action will be organized in 20 districts of Nepal to pressurize global leaders in CoP21

Kathmandu, November 20, 2015: First Nepal Climate Convergence was held in Kathmandu, SAP-Phalcha, Babarmahal from 18 to 19 November 2015. Climate Convergence discussed about Climate Justice, building grass root movement, campaign strategy, Climate negotiations, media outreach,
art workshops and community organizing for Peoples’ Climate March.

Participants were from Hetauda, Chitwan, Dadeldhura, Dang, Dolakha, Pokhara, Kapilvastu and other cities/towns. Youth who attended this Convergence will organize climate march and ground actions on 28th and 29th November in their cities. Convergence was organized by the joint effort of Digo Bikas Institute, Youth Alliance for Environment, Nepalese Youth for Climate Action, We Inspire Nepal, Beyond 2015- Nepal Hub, Car free cities , Jiwanta- Nepal and YUWA.

Gunjan Pyasi one of the participant from Pokhara said “it’s good opportunity for young people from district level to learn and understand climate justice issue and international climate politics and negotiation.” Dristy Shrestha from organizing team mentioned, “Convergence will help to strengthen climate movement all over Nepal and build young climate justice advocates”.

Highlights of sessions:
Alex Jansen from LocalFutures.org mentioned that Nepal has its own solution within. There are different solutions based movements happening in Nepal but are not connected to each other.

J.H Crawford, the writer of the book “Carfree Cities and “Carfree Design Manual” mentioned that Nepal is as an example for sustainable world due to low energy consumption/ resource conservation. Bhaktapur, Nepal can be a model city for whole world on the basis of its urban planning and low energy consumption.

Shail Shrestha, co-founder of Digo Bikas Institute mentioned about rethinking about the present world system to understand the cause of Climate Change and issue of Climate Justice.

Abhishek Shrestha, co-founder of Digo Bikas Institute gave his presentation on the history of UNFCC and the importance of Cop 21. He also mentioned that the negotiators have been negotiating for 20 years but have not yet reached to a commitment of self-level. Cop 21 have to be a different story to reach to self-level of emission.

Ramesh Bhusal, from Third Pole, highlighted the importance of media in disseminating the information and news of climate change to the general mass. He emphasized on the need of more media coverage on the issue of climate change and followed it up with the difficulties in doing so.

Manjeet Dhakal, member of core negotiating team from GoN, described about the negotiation process of UNFCCC. Saurav Dhakal from story cycle shared his experience of his adventures during Great Himalayan Trail and discussed how he was able to make it lucrative to the mass media.