India Commits To Climate Action At Sagarmatha Sambaad

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, represented India at the inaugural session of the Sagarmatha Sambaad, a high-level global dialogue convened in Kathmandu, Nepal. The event was held under the theme ‘Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity,’ bringing together ministers, climate leaders, and experts from across the world to address the pressing challenges facing mountainous ecosystems amid the global climate crisis.

During his keynote speech, Shri Bhupender Yadav highlighted India's unwavering commitment to international action on climate change and the imperative of intensified cooperation between countries to save the vulnerable Himalayan and other mountain ecosystems. He also made a comment on the symbolic value of the title for the event, Sagarmatha, literally 'Head of the Sky,' which symbolizes the grandeur of these mountains and the shared responsibility to protect them for generations to come.

Speaking at the summit in Nepal, Shri Yadav thanked the Nepalese people for hosting the summit and elaborated that India, through deep ecological and cultural connect, wants to work together as a community with its Himalayan neighbors, and that South Asia is a region that has nearly a quarter of the world's population, yet historical carbon dioxide emissions amount to less than four percent worldwide, hence burdening developing nations disproportionately in the face of a rising climate crisis.

He brought to the world's attention the uneven global dynamics by pointing out that "despite their commitment, the developed world has not been able to fulfill all its commitments towards climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building." He said that these commitments should be met so that vulnerable mountain regions could adopt efficient climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Shri Yadav also underscored the remarkable biodiversity of India's and Nepal's high-altitude ecosystems and urged enhanced transboundary conservation. He encouraged Himalayan countries to come together under the International Big Cats Alliance, an effort aimed at saving threatened animals like snow leopards, tigers, and leopards. The alliance aims to consolidate conservation knowledge, raise funds for critical projects, and create a repository of knowledge aimed at the conservation of these majestic animals.

The Minister reflected on the significance of Project Snow Leopard, launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which aims to conserve the snow leopard as well as its fragile habitat. Citing data from the first comprehensive Snow Leopard Population Assessment carried out between 2019 and 2023 in India, Shri Yadav revealed that India houses nearly 718 snow leopards, constituting around 10 to 15 percent of the global population. This achievement reflects India's forward-looking strategy towards the preservation of its distinctive mountain fauna.

Shri Yadav, in his address, presented a five-point appeal for global cooperation to respond to the environmental imperatives of the world's mountainous areas. He called for intensified scientific collaboration to intensify research and observation of cryospheric dynamics, hydrological processes, and biodiversity in the vulnerable mountain ecosystems. Realizing the growing danger of climate change-related calamities like Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), he underscored the imperative of creating climate resilience by investing in early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure customized to mountain ecosystems.

Shri Yadav also emphasized empowering mountain communities so that their welfare, needs, and aspirations remain the core of policymaking. He recognized the ancient traditional knowledge of mountain communities and insisted that they gain from green livelihoods and sustainable tourism activities.

The Minister called for increased and predictable climate finance aligned with the commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. He stressed that adequate funding is crucial for mountain nations to implement effective adaptation and mitigation measures.

Finally, Shri Yadav underscored the importance of acknowledging mountain views in international climate negotiations and sustainable development planning. He contends that the specific vulnerabilities and key ecological functions of mountain systems need to be properly captured in global policies to protect them.

Capping his speech, Shri Bhupender Yadav assured Nepal and other mountain countries that India remains ready to work closely with them to protect their common ecological heritage. Citing the ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which translates as "the world is one family," he urged collaborative action so that the sacred mountains continue to stand tall as signs of hope, resilience, and sustainability for humanity.

The Sagarmatha Sambaad saw the presence of eminent dignitaries such as Nepal's Prime Minister Shri K. P. Sharma Oli, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, China's Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress Mr. Xiao Jie, and Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan's Ecology Minister and President of COP29. The meeting provided a crucial forum for dialogue and collaboration for building a sustainable future for the mountainous regions of the world in the face of increasingly heightened challenges of climate change.