Sagarmatha Sambaad: Minister of State BK calls for prompt measures to stem rising air pollution in South Asia

KATHMANDU: Minister of State for Forests and Environment, Rupa BK, has said that rapid urbanization and the population rise has led to the degradation of air quality, echoing the need of prompt measures to address the problem.

During her address to a session on “Resolution on the Finance Challenges in Climate Change Action and Sustainable Development” held during the third or the final day of the Sagarmatha Sambaad here today, the Minister of State said the increasing air pollution has caused a fall in the people’s life expectancy.

“Air pollution is one of the significant challenges that we have been facing. It has affected our health, environment and economy to its core,” she said, adding that the South Asia has becoming the hub of the air pollution and numerous cities here are frequently ranked as the most polluted cities n the world.”

As she said, Nepal has contributed to the protection of air quality through the promotion of the less carbonized public vehicles, implementation of tougher vehicles emissions standards and the development of electrical mobility.

According to the Minister of State, the Kathmandu Valley Air Pollution Management Action Plan (2020) and the National Environment Policy (2019) reflect the government’s strategic fights against air pollution.

She added that the Department of Environment ensured the expansion of real-time air quality monitoring, making the data further accessible to the public.

“Forest fires also remain as actors contributing to air pollution. People are leaving villages and forests have remained inadequately managed and in this situation the unused biomass has contributed to the increasing cases of forest fire, leading to the rise in air pollution,” she apprised the session.

She pressed the idea to address third new, but emerging threat of fire in our comprehensive air quality strategies.

Air pollution is a trans-border issue and a robust regional cooperation based on collective data, polices and best practices are needed to address the issue, according to her.

It is urgent to focus on institutional and technical competency through the training, regional workshop and the engagement of stakeholders, she said.

“We should ensure sustainable investment,” she said, underlining the need of sustainable and extendable solutions through collective efforts.