Opinion | China and India should do more to save the Himalaya system
Summary
The Bhotekoshi/Trishuli flood in Rasuwa and Nuwakot has caused unprecedented damage in Nepal, with early estimates putting the loss at $5 billion. The article calls on China and India to lead a regional legal response to the Himalayan climate crisis, amid rising temperatures, glacial melt and growing disaster risk.
Key Points
- The August 26 flood in the Bhotekoshi/Trishuli basin has caused the worst damage from a single river-basin flood in Nepal’s living memory, with preliminary losses estimated at $5 billion.
- The article argues that China and India should do more than provide emergency aid and should help lead regional action to address the Himalayan climate crisis.
- It cites rising temperatures, melting glaciers, black carbon deposition and proliferating glacial lakes as major threats across the Hindu Kush Himalayan region.
- The piece proposes a regional legal arrangement based on international climate obligations, scientific cooperation, risk assessment and disaster-response coordination.
