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Kathmandu / July 24: A visiting team of environment high-level officials of China has praised Nepal for implementing model environment conservation programs based on people’s participation.

The team members also stated that they wanted to learn from this. The high-level delegation led by the Chinese People’s Congress (Parliament)’s Environment and Resource Conservation Committee chair Cao Huchhang expressed this during a meeting today with Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet. Minister Basnet’s press coordinator Daya Nidhi Bhatta said the topic of promoting bilateral collaboration in the management of forest, environment wildlife and entire biodiversity as well as in the environment and climate change was discussed in the meeting.

On the occasion, Minister Basnet apprised the Chinese delegation regarding the forest and environment, protected areas, national parks and wildlife reserves of Nepal and their separate legal provisions. Stating that 50 percent of the total income from the national parks is to spend for the benefit of the people living in the buffer zone areas, he said this has ensured the participation and ownership of the locals in the protection of the forest and environment. The Forests and Environment Minister said the protection of the Earth and the living beings is the compulsory responsibility of all countries of the world, and Nepal and China need to work together on this topic as well. He suggested adopting an integrated approach in politics, diplomacy, economy, and environment. Minister Basnet said that although the role of Nepal is nominal in greenhouse gas emission, it was the matter of sadness to be enlisted in the list of most affected.

Chairperson Huchhang said that they are in the process of making a draft of new laws related to the conservation area and national park, so arrived here to know the experience of Nepal. Saying Nepal has done lots of good works in forest, environment, wildlife and environment conservation, he expressed the view that they were willing to learn from Nepal’s experiences. He also pointed out the need for new collaboration in the sector of environment conservation and climate change.

The delegation arrived here at the invitation of General Secretary of the Federal Parliament, Manohar Prasad Bhattarai, also paid a courtesy call on Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara.