Water security must be central to Nepal’s climate resilience, experts say
Summary
Experts and policymakers at COP31 in Antalya urged Nepal to place water security at the centre of climate resilience and development planning. They warned that recent Himalayan disasters are creating cascading downstream risks for communities, infrastructure and livelihoods, and called for stronger science-based, community-led and Indigenous-informed preparedness.
Key Points
- Experts said Nepal must integrate scientific knowledge, Indigenous practices and community participation to strengthen climate resilience and development planning.
- The Rasuwa–Bhotekoshi disaster and other recent Himalayan events were cited as evidence of growing interconnected water-related risks affecting downstream communities and infrastructure.
- Speakers called for better mountain monitoring, early-warning systems, and stronger coordination across water, agriculture, climate and disaster-management institutions.
- The event urged a shift from rebuilding damaged infrastructure to “building forward” with climate and disaster-risk information built into reconstruction plans.
