New Delhi: Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called for stronger international cooperation to tackle the growing climate risks facing the Himalayan region, weeks after devastating floods killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands unaccounted for.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Shah warned that climate related disasters do not remain confined within national boundaries. He highlighted the recent Himalayan disaster as an example of how rapidly extreme events can affect communities across borders.
The floods were triggered after a major collapse of rock and glacier ice in the high Himalayas near the Nepal China border. The resulting surge of water travelled downstream, causing widespread destruction in Nepal and affecting areas on the Chinese side.
Official figures cited in the aftermath indicated that at least 1,386 people had died in Nepal by September 18, while more than 5,130 people remained unaccounted for. Hundreds were also reported missing in areas across the border.
Shah said Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but faces severe consequences from climate change. He pointed to retreating glaciers, unstable mountain slopes and increasingly unpredictable rivers as growing threats to the country.
The disaster has damaged roads, bridges, schools, homes, farmland, livelihoods and hydropower infrastructure, creating an additional financial burden for Nepal as it works to rebuild.
Shah proposed establishing a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China. The proposed framework would focus on sharing satellite information and technical expertise, monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes and improving early warning systems.
He also highlighted the importance of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which supports nearly two billion people through its water resources, ecosystems and agricultural systems.
Shah described the recent disaster as a warning extending far beyond Nepal and urged countries to strengthen cooperation before future climate related emergencies strike.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
