Nepal’s Climate Change and Environment Management Challenges in an Era of Global Polycrisis
Date: 2 November 2022
Place: Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti, Kathmandu
Policy Research Institute conducted a special Policy Lecture on issues of polycrisis from Dr. Madhav Karki, the Climate Change Advisor to the Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba. The event, attended by researchers, professors, legal experts, economists, journalists and representatives from ministries, National Planning Commission and other governmental and non-governmental agencies, was chaired and facilitated by PRI Executive Chairperson Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti.
Dr. Karki began the Policy Lecture with a short introduction to ‘polycrisis.’ Global polycrisis occurs, he said, when crises in multiple global systems converge in ways that significantly diminish humanity’s potential. Individual crises produce losses greater than the sum of the crises caused by interconnected multiple crises, he said, adding climate change is one of the greatest threats of the day to hard-won development gains, which causes economic costs and millions of premature deaths annually.
Dr. Karki posited that environmental emergencies and well-being needs of human beings should be addressed simultaneously to achieve sustainability, development goals and other targets and commitments. For that, he added, food, water and energy systems can and should be transformed in equitable, flexible and eco-friendly ways so that growing human needs can be met while offsetting issues that cause environmental hazards and emergencies.
Following Dr Karki’s presentation, other experts also spoke on various aspects of polycrisis. For details, please refer to the Nepali note here.