From the Himalayas to the islands, Nepal calls for a united climate response
Summary
Nepal brought mountain and island nations together at the United Nations to push for stronger climate cooperation, warning that melting glaciers, rising seas and extreme weather are shared crises. The meeting came a month after deadly flooding along the Nepal-China border and called for better early-warning systems, climate finance and resilient infrastructure.
Key Points
- Nepal convened a high-level UN meeting to connect climate risks facing mountain and island nations under the theme “Sagarmatha to the Sea.”
- Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal urged stronger early-warning systems, climate finance, scientific cooperation and support for the Loss and Damage Fund.
- Speakers from Bhutan, the Maldives, Samoa, New Zealand, Tajikistan and China linked glacier loss, rising seas and cross-border disaster risks.
- New Zealand announced $3.5 million in humanitarian support for Nepal’s flood response, while Norway and China also described assistance.
