Five takeaways from Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s UN address
Summary
Prime Minister Balendra Shah used his address to the UN General Assembly to link Nepal’s Himalayan disasters to the global climate crisis, urging stronger international cooperation and grant-based climate finance. He also called for a fairer world order that gives vulnerable countries greater voice and support.
Key Points
- Shah said the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli disaster shows how warming is making the Himalayas more fragile and putting Nepal’s development at risk.
- He proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China to share data, monitor glacial lakes and improve early warnings.
- He urged grant-based climate finance instead of loans and criticized existing climate funds as inadequate for vulnerable countries.
- Shah argued that the global system is better at moving weapons than essentials like food, fertilizer and fuel, and called for a fairer multilateral order.
