Bimal Regmi on Deciphering the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change through a Nepali Lens

[00:00:12] - [Speaker 0]
And welcome to PODS by PEI, a policy discussion series brought to you by Policy Entrepreneurs Inc. My name is Thedon Kansakar. In today's episode, we have PEI colleague Saurabh's conversation with Bimal about the recently published IPCC Sixth assessment report and the road map for Nepal's climate action. Bimal is a climate resilience and natural resource management expert with more than twenty three years of experience supporting national and local climate change adaptation priorities in Nepal. He is experienced supporting the government of Nepal in risk reduction, natural system sustainability,

[00:00:47] - [Speaker 1]
and

[00:00:47] - [Speaker 0]
biodiversity conservation, and has made significant contributions to the development of Nepal's climate change policy reform. He holds a PhD in climate change from Flinders University Australia. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

[00:01:05] - [Speaker 1]
Another week and another brand new episode of Pause by PEI. Today, I have with me my guest, Bimal Raghami, to discuss the recently published Synthesis Report of the IPCC sixth Assessment Report. Bimal, welcome to Pods by PEI. It's great to have you here. How are you doing today?

[00:01:21] - [Speaker 2]
Thank you. I'm doing good.

[00:01:23] - [Speaker 1]
I've really been looking forward to having this conversation with you. Shall we get on with the show then?

[00:01:28] - [Speaker 2]
Please, let's proceed.

[00:01:30] - [Speaker 1]
So, let's come to the topic at hand. The Synthesis Report for the sixth assessment report. The report was recently published in March 2023 and is the last report to be published until the next assessment cycle at the end of this decade. But, before we delve more into the nuances of the report, let me start with IPCC. What is the IPCC?

[00:01:51] - [Speaker 1]
And, what is the purpose of these assessment reports, of which we have now published six so far?

[00:01:57] - [Speaker 2]
Thank you. So, the IPCC is Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. So, it's an organization of governments that are members of the United Nations or old metrological organisation. So it has 195 members created in 1988. The major objective of IPCC is to provide government around the world with scientific information so that they can use this particular information to develop their climate policies and design appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures.

[00:02:36] - [Speaker 2]
Also another purpose is to feed into the global climate change negotiations. So if you look into the history of how IPCC assessment report have evolved, the first IPCC assessment report was developed in 1990, which has particularly underlined the importance of climate change as a global environment challenge with global consequences requiring international support and cooperation. So basically it played a decisive role in creating the United Nations framework convention on climate change, a key international treaty that aimed to reduce the global warming and cope with the consequences of climate change. So then again in 1995, there was second assessment report which provided important material for the government to draw to run up to adaptation of Kyoto Protocol. So it's one of the protocols that is designed to curb greenhouse gases emissions.

[00:03:38] - [Speaker 2]
So up to that, there was more ambition as well as hope within the international community that the global problem of climate change in terms of curbing the greenhouse gases can be resolved. So again in 02/2001, the third assessment report was published. So this is the first time which spelled out the climate change impacts as well as the need for society, countries and stakeholders to cope and adapt to climate change. Then in 2007 again the fourth assessment report which has laid ground for the post Kyoto agreements as well as limiting warming below two degree. Then in 2014 the fifth assessment report which provided impetus to the development of Paris agreement.

[00:04:30] - [Speaker 2]
All the ingredients, contents and the basis of scientific evidences required to take ambitions and to bring all global community together. So now we are in the sixth assessment report cycle. So this assessment report basically has alarmed the international community to do more, have more ambitions on carbon greenhouse gas emissions. So there were some ground breaking studies that was done to prepare for this particular report. For example, one of the report focused on greenhouse gas scenarios, second one was focused on land issues, similarly on sector specific issues of climate change was the focus of the basis for developing the six assessment reports.

[00:05:27] - [Speaker 2]
In conclusion, coming from 1990 till now when the six assessment report is launched, There has been massive changes in the concentration of the greenhouse gas emission in the atmosphere. We have seen solid evidences and quite alarming impacts of climate change already felt by the community and it also gave a alert to international community that the government especially the developed countries government are not taking appropriate action to reduce greenhouse gas emission. So you know we are in the juncture of a failure in the past but we need to really be ambitious as well as take appropriate action to curb greenhouse gas emission.

[00:06:11] - [Speaker 1]
Indeed, this report has been referred to as a quote unquote code red for humanity. So, are some of the key findings of the report and why are they so alarming?

[00:06:22] - [Speaker 2]
I think you have raised very pertinent question. So, it is called the code red for humanity. That means it is quite alarming for the existence of human beings and all creatures living in this world. So the findings include it says that the world temperature has already increased by 1.1 degree centigrade. It is very hard to achieve the target of keeping the old temperature to 1.5 degree Celsius as per agreement of Paris.

[00:06:51] - [Speaker 2]
So well below two degree but our ambition was to achieve the old temperature to 1.5 degree. So it is looking almost impossible to achieve. So there is also high probability that the global temperature will reach or surpass 1.5 degree by 02/1940. So you can see that we are almost failing in achieving the Paris Agreement goals. So the annual GHG emissions during 2010 to 2019 was higher than any previous decade on record.

[00:07:22] - [Speaker 2]
So it shows that the increase is 1.3% per year. It also says that future risks form climate extreme events. So climate extreme events such as heat wave, cold wave, increased temperature, extreme variability in rainfall. So for example heat waves on average across every ten year in a normal climatic condition. So this has changed over time.

[00:07:49] - [Speaker 2]
So while under human induced world of 1.5 degree centigrade warming the heat waves will increase by 4.1 times more and 5.6 times with two degree centigrade and 9.4 times with four degree. So that means we are already having almost double increase in climate extreme events under 1.5 degree centigrade. So this is quite alarming as well as quite threatening for our survival because this will disrupt all the ecosystems, the human system, all the food cycle and will have major impact on lives and livelihood of people around the world. So another major finding is there is huge gap between the funds required and the funds available for climate action. So this gap is really huge and this is one of the major reason for limiting the ability of adapting to climate change and another fact is that the limit of adaptation that's why the loss and damage from climate extreme events and climate change is under the spotlight and being considered by international community.

[00:09:00] - [Speaker 2]
So another is the world must phase out fossil fuel. So it should phase out totally fossil fuel and there is urgent need to do transformative action to achieve net zero future. So we have to phase out. So it's not phase down as agreed in Glasgow but phase out. So total phase out is required if we are really aiming for a net zero future and another alarming figure is that approximately 3.3 to 3,600,000,000 people live in a context that is highly vulnerable to climate change.

[00:09:35] - [Speaker 2]
So between 2010 and 2020 human mortality, so the death to humans from flood, drought, storm was 15 times higher in highly vulnerable region compared to the regions with very low vulnerability. You can see that those countries that are really highly vulnerable, the loss and damage is very very massive and huge. So all these conclude that it is a code red for humanity and actions are inappropriate and we need to increase our ambition and action to curb this impact of climate change.

[00:10:10] - [Speaker 1]
So, before we proceed further, I know that you've been part of the climate discourse within Nepal, having collaborated with the government of Nepal as part of our national climate strategy. So, I would first like to gauge your opinion on this. How is climate change viewed in Nepal?

[00:10:27] - [Speaker 2]
The view of climate change, the understanding and the perception of Paris from Kathmandu to the rural areas. So, in urban areas, in population those are familiar, those are exposed with this jargon or with this concept or with this language. It is taken as urgent immediate action that needs to be addressed by the government. But these kind of understanding on specifics of climate change, its impact, the language, the communication is very very different to the people especially farmers, marginalized people, people living in rural areas, smallholder farmers. So they think is their daily life they have to struggle and this is an additional burden to them.

[00:11:19] - [Speaker 2]
Since they have so many other problems they think this problem is an additional to them. But people who know climate change, who have studied, who are engaged in research, in implementation, in policy making, they know what is the intensity and what is the urgency of this. But if you look into politician and general public, the level of understanding in climate change is different. So there is less awareness I say, less ownership of this particular issues because of various reasons to mostly the bureaucrats, mostly the politicians and only few sectoral ministries, few of the NGOs, INGOs, development agencies engaged are more proactive and their understanding on climate change is a bit clear but the way they understand is too technical, too scientific and it is very very difficult to localize and it is quite different than what local people understand.

[00:12:19] - [Speaker 1]
We'll come back to communicating the message of this report down to all the stakeholders. But, before we proceed further again, as I was doing my research for this particular episode, I saw that you have been working with the government of Nepal to execute a roadmap to strategic engagement for climate action. So, could you please tell our listeners some of the work that you have been doing?

[00:12:42] - [Speaker 2]
Very interesting thing. So, I have been engaged in climate change since 2005 in different positions with different organisations. So I will share with you my recent engagement with the government of Nepal on some of the policy and institution reforms that are basics to create enabling environment for climate change integration and mainstreaming as well as a very clear direction on how government and other relevant stakeholders should act and implement climate adaptation and mitigation measures. So some of the work that I have done in the past five years are I was part of the team helping government of Nepal and in their leadership to develop climate change policy in 2019. So that policy gives overall vision and strategic direction on how Nepal should deal with emerging climate change and the impacts and it has taken very secular approach to deal with climate change.

[00:13:50] - [Speaker 2]
I was involved in the revision of local adaptation plan of action basically localizing climate change adaptation ensuring that the local government are capacitate and they take leadership in integrating climate change in their annual plan and budget. Then I was also supporting government to develop nationally determined contribution. So that is one of the commitment of Nepal as per the Paris Agreement to really take necessary action to reduce greenhouse gas emission. Another work that I help government is to draft national framework on loss and damage. Basically looking at what is loss and damage in the context of Nepal, what are the visible economic and non economic losses and damages caused by climate and climate extreme events including climate induced disasters.

[00:14:46] - [Speaker 2]
I supported government to bring evidences for designing net zero study for low carbon development for Nepal. Nepal is striving to achieve net zero by 02/1945, completely halt deforestation by 2030 and reduce the risks of climate induced disaster and vulnerability of majority of the population by 02/1930. So these are the major three ambitions that is taken by the government of Nepal in COP27. So just to sum up, my role has been is basically to facilitate, to support as per the request of government of Nepal in terms of evidence generations for designing appropriate policies that are needed to really deal with this climate change impact. So I'll stop there.

[00:15:38] - [Speaker 1]
So, staying on the topic of Nepal. We have the report, the IPCC synthesis report that was recently published. But, I wanted to ask, how has the science of these IPCC reports been incorporated into Nepal's own climate policies and related discourse? Where does this report lie within the Nepali climate sphere?

[00:15:59] - [Speaker 2]
So, till IPCC assessment report forth, there was very scant and almost none of the information was cited from Nepal and this Indukush region. So the reason was that we had very very limited research that is published in the journals. You need highly recognized journal publications for IPCC to refer to that. But during assessment report five and six, we have developed so much in terms of investing in research. The numerous publications that apart from the region as well as from Nepal that are cited given example especially one of the example that is often cited in this IPCC report is the melting of glaciers, glacier retreat, the impact of glacier retreat and water resources.

[00:16:53] - [Speaker 2]
So these are frequently referred evidences for example of Nepal. IPCC's And report are not that really favorite source of evidences for the Nepali public because most of them were not familiar in the past. But the train of really observing the report, really translating the report into the policy making and making best use of report have just started since last few years only. So majority of the policy and strategies that are designed after 2019 mostly are based on these international evidences like IPCC and that are incompatible with the messages and the urgency it has provided. So it is basically looking into those and really making sense what does it really mean in the context of Nepal.

[00:17:49] - [Speaker 2]
But saying so, we haven't really fully utilized the dearth of knowledge, the importance of this scientific evidences for policy making, is still we have to improve a lot in terms of how evidences are paid into policy making process because sometimes policies are made in closed doors. But I think recently the government has improved the way policies are made with consultations, with reference to scientific literatures, publications, and even greater importance given to the research and publication done at the domestic level.

[00:18:36] - [Speaker 3]
Hi there. This is Shia Rana from Policy Entrepreneurs Inc. We hope you're enjoying Pods by PEI. As you know, creating this show takes a lot of time and resources. We rely on the support of our community to keep things going.

[00:18:49] - [Speaker 3]
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[00:19:20] - [Speaker 3]
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[00:19:30] - [Speaker 1]
Now, while climate change is a global phenomenon, its impacts are local. Nepal itself faced historically low rainfall, less snowfall, and depletion of water reservoirs, with experts suggesting that climate change is at the heart of these meteorological erraticisms. These are indeed very dire changes in Nepal's cryosphere. But as a country whose identity itself is intertwined with nature, what other impacts have been observed in the Nepali society at large?

[00:19:58] - [Speaker 2]
Thank you. I think this is very very important question for us to understand. So the level of clarity in terms of what is happening in Nepal is still evolving. So the science is evolving. We need to know more on specific impacts of climate change on Nepal, especially on various resources, our natural resources or sectors, one of the major impact of climate change in the world is the impact on water resources.

[00:20:30] - [Speaker 2]
So the glacier melting is one of the major impact that is we can see the multiple glacier lake outburst flood event. Nepal experienced almost 26 glacier lake outburst flood events since 1977, of which 14 originated in Nepal. Another important water resources, you can see some of the springs are drying and you have seen too much water during monsoon. The rainfall pattern is like this. Within a short period of time, there is heavy rainfall.

[00:21:03] - [Speaker 2]
So that leads to massive erosion, landslide and flash flooding. And in winter, we don't really have water in our reserve years. Other impacts that Nepal is facing is the impacts on agriculture. In agriculture, can see the changes in production and productivity, the changes in the agro biodiversity, the composition, the cropping pattern and major impact in terms of declining productivity of some of the crops. Because large part of our agricultural land are rain fed, so we depend on monsoon rain and the changes or the variability within the monsoon patterns are impacting almost all of the rain fed agriculture lands.

[00:21:47] - [Speaker 2]
We have also observed impacts on health especially outbreak of diseases, the waterborne diseases, the vectorborne diseases, other communicable diseases that are directly linked with the increased temperature or decreased temperature extreme weather or climate variables and we have seen the outbreak of dengue, we have seen the outbreak of malaria, kalazar, all the the vector borne diseases have increased. And overall the impact of climate change on our economy is two to 3% of the GDP losses and it is estimated that if this trend continues by the end of century, will have 13% of GDP loss due to climate change impacts. Climate change is adding additional pressure to those people who largely depend on natural resources like agriculture and forestry for their life and livelihood. So these have multiple cascading impact on the society and in the ecosystem. So majority of the people who are living in this very harsh environmental condition, migration is a common phenomenon now.

[00:22:55] - [Speaker 2]
So that will increase. So you will see the ruler migration to urban areas will increase in future. So these are some of the major examples that really dissonates how urgent is this particular issue and how devastating the impact of climate change. You can see the issues of melanche. You see the devastation.

[00:23:16] - [Speaker 2]
We have never seen in our life such a devastation caused by these events. So these kind of extreme, unexpected and high intensity and high impactful disaster will come in the future. So that will have major implication to very fragile, low income and less capacity society that we are in because we have other issues of poverty, we have other issues of marginalization, we have other issues of deprivation to access to education, access to water, access to basic services, climate change will put more burden on these things to achieve. So it will put all the development investment at risk. So these are some of the visible impact that we see in Nepal currently.

[00:24:01] - [Speaker 1]
So, now let's come back to the IPCC. The I in IPCC stands for Intergovernmental. It's not international, it is intergovernmental, which means governments all around the world take ownership of the report. Nepal also being one of them. So, how can we ensure that the findings of the report are communicated effectively to the public and that people are motivated to take action to address climate change?

[00:24:27] - [Speaker 1]
Should there be an impetus to communicate the message of the IPCC reports to the various stakeholders, the ones on the grassroot level?

[00:24:34] - [Speaker 2]
This is one of the major challenge we have observed, and we haven't really progressed so much in refining our communication strategy. Really communicating the message, communicating the knowledge, the learning and evidences that has been generated to our own policy makers, to our practitioners and especially you have raised the right users, the communities who are really feeling this burden of climate change impacts. So the discourse has been within smaller scientific, academic and climate and environment groups, often not really shared and communicated properly. One of the major challenges is the language of climate change. The terminology that is there, the jargon that is used is too technical, too scientific and too complex for any individuals to understand.

[00:25:41] - [Speaker 2]
These are in English very complex terminology. So one of the challenges, even those people who are familiar with climate change, they will have difficulties to observe and understand. So what we really need to do, we haven't really done much. So I think you have raised this very important thing about communication. So one is how can we really make best use of these evidences to really translate in our Nepali language Nepali and there are also other local dialects and then not just translating but how this can be communicated through various means So, there is social media now to really spread the message, major messages coming out of this IPCC report.

[00:26:29] - [Speaker 2]
Often what happens is only these are discussed in Kathmandu, only these are discussed within specific community. They understand and that's it. So it doesn't really roll out, it doesn't really decentralize, it doesn't go into the local level. So I think that is a challenge and future. We have to do something.

[00:26:51] - [Speaker 2]
If we don't communicate it properly, I think this learning, the understanding and the urgency, I think is we need to really communicate that there is urgency of taking appropriate timely action to really address this issue. That's why we need media. We need communication agents. We need communication champions to really, you know, tell us how we can really simplify this particular complex language so that it can be easily understood by the common local public people. So I think that is one of the clear message and way forward.

[00:27:29] - [Speaker 1]
But, we do have some level of initiatives within the country, though. In particular, our second NDC is often cited as being very ambitious. Like you mentioned earlier, we also have set a net zero carbon commitment after 02/1945, when compared to our own neighbors who themselves have committed to net neutrality by 2060 and 2070. In essence, we have promised a lot. But have we made enough progress on our promise so far?

[00:27:59] - [Speaker 2]
So, there are this political economy of countries taking ambitions or countries taking commitment. One is basically, so what we need to understand is for the least developed countries like Nepal, we are not legally binded to reduce any greenhouse gas emissions. So we don't really have to do it, but the Paris Agreement encourages every society, every agency, every country to do something because it's a global issues and collective efforts will yield in addressing this global problem. That's why as per the international commitment and a gesture specially to the developed countries who haven't really done enough, who haven't really taken appropriate action, Nepal has come forward saying that okay, if you really give us adequate resources, we will do three major things. So one is haul deforestation and increase forest cover to 45% by 02/1930.

[00:29:05] - [Speaker 2]
We have already achieved 45% by the way. So this is TIC. So one of the target or one of the commitment that Nepal made in terms of retaining its forest cover to 45%, increasing to that is already achieved. So that's a major achievement. So congratulations to everyone.

[00:29:23] - [Speaker 2]
But there are other two major targets that Nepal has spelled out. One is to reducing the vulnerability and risk of communities by 2,030. We are not nearest to it. 80% of our population are vulnerable and at risk. We haven't really done much.

[00:29:41] - [Speaker 2]
Every year the losses and damages by climate change is increasing. So can we do by another seven years? I think we haven't really done enough that will give us confidence that we can do it. So we are really back in that. And another is like we will achieve net zero by 02/1945.

[00:30:05] - [Speaker 2]
Maybe it is feasible because if we increase our hydropower production, if we electrify Nepal that everyone has access to electricity, if we replace our domestic use of LPG, petrol and diesel product, kerosene by electricity, our domestic consumption if we go to clean energy, if our mobility, the transport and other sectors move into transit into the low carbon path or majority of the vehicles are electric and if our electric generation increase to 15,000 as per target 15,000 MW which is very, very far given the pace that we have. Government is thinking 2,000, 2,500 by next year and by another seven years or six or seven years whether additional 12,500 MW can be generated, that is quite ambition. But I think if there are major investments in this sector, for example, we need 20,500,000,000.0 for resilience, 46,400,000,000.0 for mitigation till 02/1930. These are additional resources, external climate financing that is needed for us to achieve our target. How much we are really getting?

[00:31:28] - [Speaker 2]
We are not getting even five or 10% of this every year. So there's so much of deficit in terms of the resources that we are accessing for us to really fulfill our commitment. So because it is not legally binding, it's not compulsory for us, even saying this will not harm us. So why not we keep this ambition and even if we complete 10%, 20%, we still contribute a lot and achieve a lot.

[00:31:57] - [Speaker 1]
There are so many things that you just mentioned in those answers that I really want to keep conversing to you about. But I want to talk about loss and damage and Nepal's lack of access in climate funds. So, COP twenty seven recently concluded, and the COP twenty seven featured heavily on loss and damage. So much so that we now have a global agreement on the loss and damage funding for vulnerable countries. Coupled with that, the latest IPCC report also greatly emphasizes the need for international cooperation to combat climate change.

[00:32:33] - [Speaker 1]
But as you mentioned, Nepal faces a massive challenge when it comes to accessing these green funds. So where is the gap when it comes to Nepal accessing international funding for climate action?

[00:32:45] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. I think climate financing, you have rightly brought out with the progress made in COP twenty seven on loss and damage is very, very remarkable. So it has given confidence as well as regarded the tireless efforts of countries since February onwards on the issues of loss and damage. So what they have achieved is basically recognition that there is a limit to adaptation and that's why the climate extreme events are triggering loss and damages and there should be a mechanism to address it within UNCCC. So the agreement on establishment of financial mechanism on loss and damage is a definite welcome by countries like Nepal.

[00:33:34] - [Speaker 2]
But as you say, we have better experiences in terms of accessing international climate fund. So there are a few specific funds for countries like Nepal. For example, there is Police Developed Countries Fund, there is Green Climate Fund, there is Adaptation Fund. So these are mechanism through which countries like Nepal have access and can access global international climate financing to fund or to implement the policies and plan that they have developed. But the experience is so that some countries have tactfully, strategically access more than others.

[00:34:16] - [Speaker 2]
For example, Bangladesh has access more than us. And why Nepal has access less than Bangladesh? There are different factors that are constraining to that. One is we don't really have a dedicated institution that really strategically looks into the whole governance of climate finance. We don't have capacity within country yet in terms of whole understanding the political economy of climate financing, the art and skill that really needed in terms of diversifying funding, accessing funding, mobilizing funding.

[00:34:54] - [Speaker 2]
So all those capacities lacking. Third is we don't really have coordination among agencies in terms of strategic thinking. So the preparedness, the country preparedness is very very weak. So we need to have that preparedness very well. I think our internal governance, internal system has to be robust and compatible with the international system.

[00:35:18] - [Speaker 2]
The third one is absorption of funds. Very, very poor. Even we get access to funds, we don't properly utilize. We don't spend 100%. Only 50%, 60% some of the funds have to be returned back.

[00:35:31] - [Speaker 2]
Again, the project will be extended beyond. So the way we mobilize spend is very, very less. And the last one is we are poor at decentralizing finance at the local level because local communities have yet not really benefited from this kind of funds. So how do we really localize? How do local communities directly access these international funds?

[00:35:54] - [Speaker 2]
So there are so many things that we need to improve in terms of the governance of climate finance, but the important thing is that this is the right time that the government needs to be strategic. There are already money allocated to us. We haven't been able to utilize that money. So should we really say that there is no money? We can't say that.

[00:36:15] - [Speaker 2]
Even there is money we can't utilize. So we can't really blame the international for us, although there are complexities with that. But we have to really be compatible with those. So is it something that we need to improve? We have to cross examine ourselves, reflect back so the reflection will give us more opportunity in terms of improving our own institution structure and mechanism rather than playing a blame game, which often is not that productive.

[00:36:43] - [Speaker 1]
So now that we're coming towards the conclusion of this episode, how optimistic are you about the world reaching the temperature and climate goals?

[00:36:53] - [Speaker 2]
As a climate researcher or scientist or professional engaged, to be honest, very very positive on this. But if I have to be really honest looking at the past history and trend, we are nothing near to this. So that makes me quite frustrated and something that I couldn't really confidently say that we can achieve that. But saying so, because the way the issues has entered into the global debate become one of the major priorities of the major economies and the discussion that we are having. So now it is in the global spotlight and major agendas of major economic countries.

[00:37:38] - [Speaker 2]
So from that perspective, I think this will impact the humanity ultimately. We may feel the brunt of climate change immediately here in Nepal, after ten years, the people in America, people in UK will feel the same. So I think there will be public pressure for the politicians to take ambitious actions, to take appropriate urgent action to curb. But there are few things that we have to do. We have to phase out fossil fuel.

[00:38:07] - [Speaker 2]
This is number one. Now what they have agreed is phase down. There is total phase out fossil fuel. We have to completely transport out the transport, the industry, the residential, cooking, everything into clean energy. If we can do that, I think majority of the source of greenhouse gas can be reduced.

[00:38:27] - [Speaker 2]
So we need increase massive amount of financial resources, technology transfer and capacity building. So we need adequate, easy, accessible climate financing for countries like ours at the international level. But countries at their domestic level have to take action. So our fiscal year plan policies have to integrate climate change. Although it is very minimal with limited resources, we have to do something.

[00:38:54] - [Speaker 2]
If collectively we do something, I'm really hopeful that this issue can be solved. Maybe not in five years, maybe not in ten years, but I think definitely within 02/1950, if we increase our ambitions, if we are really honest, very serious, sincere in addressing this, I see that there is a future for humanity. That is what I feel.

[00:39:20] - [Speaker 1]
And finally, are there any words or messages that you would like to convey to our listeners?

[00:39:25] - [Speaker 2]
Thank you. I think this is one of the very, very important podcast that every listener is listening. And I like to really thank PEI for organising this. So this has to happen in very specific issues to covering diverse issues of climate change. Also, I recommend this to be in Nepali in some of the aspects so that we can communicate these IPCC result evidences, the progress that is made at the national level in Nepali language.

[00:39:58] - [Speaker 2]
So I wish you all the best. I hope today's discussion is fruitful. Please provide feedback so that we can improve our communication to make it more simple. This is science, so the way we communicate also depend on how much you can really observe. I hope this information has been useful.

[00:40:16] - [Speaker 2]
Thank you so much, and wish you all the best.

[00:40:19] - [Speaker 1]
And thank you, Vimal, once again for being part of Pause by PEI. It was my pleasure to be conversing with someone who shares so much passion about climate action and doing something about climate change. I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors. And with that, we come to the end of today's episode. We'll be back same place, same time with another brand new episode of Pods by PEI.

[00:40:44] - [Speaker 1]
Good night.

[00:40:47] - [Speaker 0]
Thanks for listening to Pods by PEI. I hope you enjoyed Saurabh's conversation with Bimal about the recently published IPCC sixth assessment report and the roadmap for Nepal's climate action. Today's episode produced by Nirjin Rai with support from Saurabhlama, Khushi Hang, Ridesh Sapkota, and me, Saddon Kantakar. The episode was recorded at PEI Studio and was edited by Nirjin Rai. Our theme music is courtesy of Rohit Shakya from Zindabad.

[00:41:14] - [Speaker 0]
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