Summary

This report summarises the content discussed during the consultation workshop held in Kathmandu, Nepal. The workshop started with welcome remarks and Keynote Address delivered by representatives from UNEP, U.S. EPA, ICIMOD, and the Ministry of Environment, Nepal. The internationally renowned climate scientist and Chair of the ABC-International Science Team, Prof. Ramanathan, delivered the Keynote address. In his address, Prof. V. Ramanathan, expressed the need to formulate strategies for reducing black carbon emissions as the present scientific understanding of short-lived pollutants is sufficiently advanced to support appropriate policies and actions. He further mentioned in his address that black carbon emissions carry considerable negative impacts on local air quality and local, regional and global climate. He expressed his concern about the BC emissions scenarios which, along with Greenhouse Gases, may give rise to more than a 2° Celsius temperature increase in the coming 4-5 decades, in the absence of taking immediate actions to reduce BC emissions.