Nepal urges global action to protect the Himalayas as climate-linked disasters intensify, calling for dedicated mountain policies and stronger adaptation measures….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Nepal has called on the international community to adopt targeted measures to address the growing impact of climate change on mountain regions, warning that the Himalayas face increasing risks from extreme weather events and environmental degradation.
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal outlined three key priorities at the opening session of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Turkey on Monday. These include ensuring the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit for the Himalayas, establishing a dedicated work programme on mountains and climate change, and incorporating mountain-specific indicators into global climate finance and adaptation frameworks.
Khanal said concrete international commitments and effective implementation were essential to protecting the Himalayan region and reducing the impact of climate change.
He highlighted the devastating floods that struck Nepal on August 26 as evidence of the country’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters. Floods along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers killed more than 1,400 people, while over 5,000 remain unaccounted for.
The disaster caused extensive damage to public and private property, estimated at $1.66 billion, according to the World Bank. Human settlements, a dozen hydropower projects, a solar power project, roads and buildings were among the infrastructure affected.
The floods were triggered after an avalanche blocked a tributary of the Bhote Koshi River near the Nepal-China border, creating a natural dam that later burst and sent floodwaters downstream along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
According to a Rapid Disaster Needs Assessment prepared by Nepali government agencies, recovery and reconstruction requirements following the disasters are estimated at more than $4.77 billion.
“On 26 August, mountain collapse unleashed what we have called a Himalayan Tsunami,” Khanal said, recalling the scale of the devastation. He added that more than 1,400 people had died and over 5,000 remained missing.
Critical infrastructure was swept away within minutes, with the estimated reconstruction cost equivalent to around one-tenth of Nepal’s entire economy, he said. Khanal added that scientific evidence confirmed the role of climate change in the disaster.
Nepal experienced three major disasters between August and October alone, he said, urging the international community to translate its expressions of sympathy into tangible support.
“Now is the time to turn sympathy into systems and commitments into implementation,” he said.
Nepal seeks climate justice for vulnerable mountain communities
In recent years, major infrastructure projects in Nepal, including the multimillion-dollar Melamchi Drinking Water Project, which aims to supply water to the Kathmandu Valley, and several hydropower projects, have suffered repeated damage from floods and landslides.
The recurring damage has raised concerns about the growing economic costs of climate change for the country.
Nepal has been calling for climate justice, arguing that it has contributed negligibly to global greenhouse gas emissions while suffering disproportionately from the consequences of climate change.
“We come here seeking climate justice,” Khanal said, adding that the Himalayan region was melting at an alarming rate despite its negligible contribution to global emissions.
He noted that the Himalayas sustain the lives and livelihoods of around one-third of humanity, while mountain regions cover approximately 27 per cent of the world’s land area and are home to 15 per cent of its population.
Khanal said Nepal remained committed to working with international partners to protect mountain communities, strengthen climate adaptation and advance climate justice. He urged countries participating in COP31 to demonstrate solidarity with Nepal and mountain communities worldwide.
He also highlighted Nepal’s efforts to pursue climate-friendly development, noting that nearly half of the country’s land area is covered by community-conserved forests, its energy generation relies on hydropower, and more than 70 per cent of newly purchased consumer vehicles are electric.
