KATHMANDU: The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a grant of $36.1 million to help Nepal mitigate the growing threat of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), a major and accelerating climate risk in the Himalayan region.
The decision was endorsed at the 42nd GCF Board Meeting held Tuesday in Papua New Guinea, where Nepal’s proposal titled “Protecting livelihoods and assets at risk from Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and climate change-induced flooding in glacial river basins of Nepal” received unanimous approval.
Dr. Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, GCF alternate board member representing Least Developed Countries (LDCs), confirmed the approval of the project and said Nepal’s initiative was among 17 endorsed out of 19 proposals submitted to the meeting.
The seven-year project will be implemented by Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“This approval marks a new chapter in how Nepal prepares for climate threats—shifting from reactive responses to proactive prevention,” said a statement from UNDP Nepal. The project is expected to benefit over 2.2 million people living in the Koshi and Gandaki river basins, some of the most vulnerable regions to climate-induced disasters.
Key components of the project include expanding and upgrading hazard monitoring and early warning systems, reducing water levels in four high-risk glacial lakes: Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho, and Hongu strengthening riverbanks and flood-prone areas through reforestation and protective infrastructure such as check dams and gabion walls and building local capacity among authorities, first responders, and communities for risk preparedness.
In addition to the GCF grant, the project will receive $14 million in co-financing from the Government of Nepal, UNDP, and the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal.
UNDP Resident Representative in Nepal, Kyoko Yokosuka, hailed the initiative as a “game-changing investment” that will bolster long-term resilience in vulnerable mountain communities. “This is climate action that is both grounded and transformative,” she said.
Director General of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Kamal Ram Joshi, welcomed the grant, noting that 21 glacial lakes in Nepal are currently at high risk of bursting. “This support is a significant milestone in our national efforts toward climate risk management,” Joshi said.
Stakeholders have described the project as a model initiative that could inspire similar efforts in other high mountain countries vulnerable to glacial flooding and the broader impacts of climate change.
Comment