Back to news
9 Nov 2017 | Atmosphere Initiative

Community Participation a Precursor to Sustainable Development and Effective Climate Actions

Fulfilling the requisites of successful climate action and sustainable development is a challenge. This is particularly true for high mountain and small island regions which have distinct and unique geographical characteristics. The key to dealing successfully with these challenges lies in ensuring community participation. It is an essential criterion for ensuring the sustainability of climate action.

During a side event at the 23rd session of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 23) in Bonn, Germany this week, representatives from the two ends of the geographical spectrum, the small islands and high mountains, gathered to discuss and share experiences for improving climate action and sustainable development pathways.

Udayan Mishra

1 min Read

70% Complete
Panelists at the discussion session Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski

“There are unprecedented challenges to achieving three goals at a time: poverty reduction, climate resilience, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, said Bishwa Nath Oli, Nepal’s Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE). Highlighting the crucial role and need of support from the international community, he added, “Fair and equitable global response to sustainable development and climate change is the need of the hour”.

Representing the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Bhaskar Singh Karky, Programme Coordinator of the Regional REDD+ Initiative, argued that ensuring co-benefits would be a key ingredient for motivating communities to make sustainable climate interventions. “Co-benefits must be generated so that climate actions become sustainable and continuous cooperation within and between communities is ensured,” he told the crowd.

2
3
1. Bhaskar Singh Karky, Programme Coordinator, Regional REDD+ Initiative, ICIMOD Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski 2. Members of the audience Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski 3. Bishwa Nath Oli, Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE), Government of Nepal Photo: IASS / Joel Sheakoski

The panelists also talked about the need for creating a network of practitioners at different levels. Building upon common interests, including cultural commonalities, linguistics, or even faith, many agreed on the need for establishing common elements around which to organize. Stressing the existing lack of coordination between community members, Maheswar Rupakheti said, “The creation of a ‘community of communities’ is essential to ensure everyone becomes a part of the solution”. Rupakheti is associated with the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS Potsdam) as a Scientific Project Leader.

With the aim of bringing perspectives from Nepal and the Pacific Islands, the discussion took place at the Bonn Zone in COP23 venue on 7 November during the side event, Coordinated Action on Sustainable Development and Climate Change, jointly hosted by MoPE, IASSm and ICIMOD.

ICIMOD’s delegation is at the COP23 in Bonn, Germany organizing and attending various activities. For a complete list of events, please visit our dedicated webpage for COP23: www.icimod.org/cop23. For any questions, please write to Udayan Mishra: Udayan.Mishra@icimod.org

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related contents

Continue exploring this topic

12 Oct 2015 Wetlands
Advocating for wetland conservation and management

  Over 70 experts, policy makers, scientists & academia gathered in Dali, China to contribute to improved the management of wetland ...

21 Mar 2016 News
Training of Trainers on Value Chain Development

A three-day training of trainers workshop was conducted at the Agriculture Development Bank Hall, Rupandehi district in Nepal by the International Centre ...

29 Feb 2016 Water
Department of Rural Development Made Commitment for Installing Pumping Water System in Himalica Pilot Villages in Myanmar

ICIMOD in partnership with the Myanmar Institute for Integrated Development (MIID) has been implementing the EU-funded Rural Livelihoods and Climate ...

27 Mar 2015 News
SERVIR-Himalaya takes satellite imagery technology to the grassroots

Community members learn to use satellite imagery for monitoring their forest More than 30 community members from Khayar Khola watershed in ...

14 Jun 2016 Water and air
Spring Management in Darchula

At daybreak, the villagers, mostly women and children, come out carrying containers of different shapes and sizes. They walk to ...

10 Jan 2017 News
Training for the Development of Flood Outlook in Bhutanese River Basins

A week-long training on flood outlook was organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Thimphu, Bhutan, ...

28 Jul 2015 News
Training focuses on vegetable products for Bhutan

The Rural Livelihoods and Climate Change Adaptation (Himalica) programme has been implementing a pilot project at Barshong Geog of Tsirang ...

16 Apr 2015 News
Women learn to invest in flood preparedness

ICIMOD, in partnership with the Institute of Integrated Resource Management (IIRM) and Swayam Sikshyan Prayog (SSP), conducted flood preparedness training ...