Opinion | What a regional climate agreement for the Himalayas should contain
Summary
A regional climate agreement for the Himalayas should be built on a legal framework that protects biodiversity, climate justice and sustainable development across Nepal, India and China. The proposed mechanism would prioritize scientific cooperation, due diligence, and principles such as precaution and polluter pays.
Key Points
- Nepal, India and China should lead a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism backed by a legal agreement, not just goodwill.
- The proposed framework should cover climate change, biodiversity, forest management, hydropower, infrastructure and climate justice across the Himalayan region.
- The article argues that regional cooperation should include due diligence, precautionary and polluter pays principles, and stronger domestic laws to prevent cross-border environmental harm.
- It calls for a multidisciplinary task force by Nepal, India and China to begin work on the mechanism and build consensus over time.
