Key Takeaways:
- PM Balendra Shah proposed a Himalaya Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China
- The mechanism would focus on satellite data sharing, glacier monitoring, early-warning systems and disaster response coordination
- Shah said Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions but faces severe climate impacts
- He urged stronger international support based on relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction, responsibility, compensation and resilience
KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 25
Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called for climate justice to move beyond commitments and declarations, urging the international community to provide greater support to countries such as Nepal that face disproportionate impacts from climate change despite contributing little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Friday, Shah proposed the establishment of a Himalaya Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China.
Under the proposal, the three countries would cooperate in sharing satellite data and scientific expertise, monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes, strengthening cross-border early-warning systems and coordinating disaster response efforts.
'Climate justice cannot remain just a beautiful phrase in United Nations documents,' Shah said, arguing that countries like Nepal should be able to build their future rather than repeatedly rebuild communities and infrastructure destroyed by climate disasters.
The prime minister referred to the August 26 Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods as a warning of escalating climate risks in the Himalayan region. He said the disaster should be viewed not only as a national tragedy but also as a signal to the global community about the growing threats posed by melting permafrost, unstable mountain slopes, landslides and floods.
According to Shah, Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bears a significant burden from climate-related disasters. He said at least 1,400 people have been confirmed dead and more than 6,000 remain missing following the recent disaster, while preliminary assessments estimate reconstruction costs could amount to roughly 10 percent of Nepal's gross domestic product.
Calling for stronger international backing, Shah said financing mechanisms such as the Loss and Damage Fund and the Global Environment Facility remain inadequate to meet the needs of vulnerable countries. Climate finance, he argued, should not become a bureaucratic process that delays assistance to countries facing immediate crises.
The prime minister outlined six priorities for addressing climate-related disasters in Nepal:
- Relief
- Rehabilitation
- Reconstruction
- Responsibility
- Compensation
- Resilience
He also urged countries with greater historical responsibility for emissions and stronger economic capacity to increase their contributions under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
'Those who have historically contributed more to the problem and who have greater capacity to respond must do more,' Shah said.
Highlighting the regional significance of the Himalayas, Shah noted that the Hindu Kush Himalayan region supports water resources, ecosystems, agriculture and livelihoods for nearly two billion people.
He argued that the Himalayas should become a platform for regional cooperation and shared preparedness rather than an area marked by fragmented data and limited coordination.
Shah also linked climate vulnerability to wider weaknesses in global supply systems, noting that essential goods often move more slowly than military resources during crises.
'We have built a world with a flawless logistics system for war and a broken one for food,' he said.
The prime minister concluded by calling for greater investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, insurance systems, innovation, early-warning networks and institutional capacity, alongside efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.