There is a saying that goes, & quote; Morning shows the day, quote; which explains how our present
circumstances will affect our future. Universal truth and fundamental principle to which we
aspire in our most mundane daily activities. However, when it comes to environmental issues
and the consequences of climate change on todays young generation, we neglect that these
children, who will be our future, are profoundly affected by the decisions we have made in the
past and continue to make.

Despite broad awareness and recognition of the consequences of environmental challenges on
children, many national and international policies have address this crucial issue only to a limited
extent. In relation to the aforementioned topic, YAE did a policy analysis on Environment,
Climate Change, and Child Rights and arranged a sharing workshop of research conclusions on
December 29, 2022. More than 40 participants from ministries, I/NGOs, civil society
organizations (CSOs), embassies, researchers, and academia attended the workshop. Ms. Anju
Pokharel, Program Coordinator, presented the research findings, revealing that Nepal’s
constitution specifies that children have the & quote; right to survival, protection, development, and
participation &quote;, however, most policies have failed to address the concerns of children (for
example: Environment Protection Act 2019, Water Resources Act 1992, National Adaptation
Program of Action to Climate Change 2010, National Framework on Local Adaptation Plans of
Action)
Dr. Dharma Uprety, CC and DRR, Team Leader, Practical Action, Dr. Chiranjibi Bhattarai, Envi
ronmental Lawyer, Mr. Dhurba Gautam, Child Rights Expert, and Ms. Shrijana Shrestha, Under
Secretary, MoFE, were the primary speakers at the panel discussion held during the second session
on of the workshop. Dr. Jagadish Parajuli, policy researcher, moderated the panel. The purpose
of the panel discussion was to gain a good understanding of the gaps, opportunities, and next
initiatives surrounding the environment and child rights situation in Nepal.
During the Panel discussion, Mr. Gautam highlighted that our government and society do not
consider that children as pre-adults, they are not given the right to speak or the means to be heard
in society, and there is an immediate need to address these behavior issues. In addition, he stated
that, despite the numerous policies established in national legislation about the rights of children
concerning environmental entities, the policies are seldom revisited, and the execution of the
formulated policies frequently remains unimplemented.
In regards to this topic, Dr. Bhattarai said that present mitigation and adaptation policies are
inadequate to address the children’s issues. A preventative approach should be considered when
establishing legislation about children and climate change. In order for adults to recognize the
importance of these policies and legal requirements. He focused that; they must comprehend the

long-term effects of climate change on children. Moreover, global trends and consumption
patterns must take precedence when formulating legal requirements. In order to evaluate the
genuine threats and consequences of climate change on children, he suggested that the
government, researchers, and CSOs must make greater efforts to gather authentic evidence and
data. He emphasized recognizing ourselves as stewards for future generations who have no right
to degrade and deplete the current natural resources.
Dr. Uprety agreed with the statement and underlined that the focus of research should be on
process innovation and the application of results for policy integration. Additionally, he added
that we must develop more funds and financial resources to conduct research and implement
existing policies.
Ms. Shrestha proceeded by highlighting that we stakeholders must exert huge effort in local
government to increase the knowledge of climate change and environmental issues among local
stakeholders and government officials. She emphasized the importance of enhancing institutional
coordination and mainstreaming child rights within government institutions in order to design
policies. Moreover, during the assessment of current policies and the design of new ones, we
must separate the clauses pertaining to children’s health and climate change & environment in all
thematic sectors in order to prevent overlooking the broader issues.
During the concluding remarks of the program, Mr. Naresh Sharma, Undersecretary of the
CCMD at the Ministry of Environment and Forests, stated that youth and children must be
educated about climate change by replication as opposed to parrot teaching in order to develop a
culture. Mr. Bisheshwar Yadav, the mayor of the municipality of Kamala, suggested that, for the
nation’s actual growth, we should prioritize the provision of essentials such as education for
children, biodiversity conservation, control of forest degradation, and agricultural harvest
expansion.
Mr. Sanot Adhikari, the chairperson of YAE, concluded the event by noting that this study
merely opened a door for work on the environment and child rights. We must exert a great deal
of effort in this sector to provide a safe environment for children. In order to create a
transformative scenario, environmental justice, and children’s rights should be studied in the context of intergenerational concerns.