PRESS RELEASE

 

Hon. Mr. Kiran Gurung, Minister of Forests and Soil-Conservation of Nepal, addressed today the opening session of the plenary of the Eighth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF-8) and called for a sustainable and predictable funding mechanism to shore up international cooperation in sustainable forests management.

 

Hon. Minister Gurung said that global climate change has the most serious negative consequences to the Himalayas, often called as the Third Pole of the planet earth. He underlined the universal negative impacts of global warming on fresh water, biodiversity and socio-cultural status of the people in the Himalayan region, which plays a significant role in maintaining global environment and human civilization. Stressing that the Himalayas, its lakes, glaciers, and rivers are the water towers that feed Asia’s great rivers and ensure drinking water for millions of people, Hon. Mr. Gurung called upon the international community to start saving the planet earth starting from the top of the world - the Himalayan ecosystem and secure future of the billions of people.

 

The Hon. Minister highlighted Nepal’s extensive experience in community-based forests management which has helped preserve indigenous knowledge, empowered local community, and promoted inclusiveness and ownership of natural resources for varied socio-cultural groups in the rural areas. He also informed that about one third of total population in the nation is engaged in managing forests land through over 15,000 community forests user groups. He further said that the government is committed to a motto of “New Nepal Green Nepal” and launching a “Green Job Program” to promote forests-based enterprises.

 

The Hon. Minister informed that Nepal is celebrating the year 2009 as “Nepal Nature Conservation Year” with the objective of sharing the experiences and assessing achievements in the area of natural resources conservation. He also announced that Nepal would be hosting an International Conference entitled "Conservation in Changing Climate in the Himalayas" from December 1-3, 2009.

 

The United Nations Forum on Forests, an intergovernmental body, is meeting in its eighth session in New York from 20 April to 1 May 2009 and will focus on the importance of international policy coordination for the implementation of forests instruments and developing a financing mechanism to promote sustainable forests management.

 

Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN

New York

20 April 2009

Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations

820 Second Avenue, Suite 17-B

New York, NY 10017

Tel: 1 (212) 370 3988 / 3989

Fax: 1 (212) 953 2038

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: http://nepal.un.int

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