Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah urged world leaders to take stronger action on climate change at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Thursday (September 24), warning that recent devastating floods in Nepal were a “warning to the world.”
Shah said the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods showed how climate change is threatening the fragile Himalayan region, destroying infrastructure, livelihoods and years of development. He called for greater climate finance, resilience-building and international cooperation.
He proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China to share satellite data, monitor glacial lakes and strengthen cross-border early-warning systems.
Shah also called for a fairer global system, saying the world has built “flawless logistics for war” but a “broken” system for food. He urged greater support for vulnerable countries and stressed that climate justice should include responsibility, reparation and resilience.
-AH