KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has stressed that climate justice must be translated into concrete action rather than remaining a slogan, calling on the international community to provide Nepal with new, accessible and grant-based climate finance to address the impacts of climate change.
Addressing the Kathmandu Climate BK-2026 programme on Friday, Khanal said climate change is directly affecting Nepal’s development, agriculture, infrastructure, water security, public health, energy transition, financial stability and even foreign policy.
“Although Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, Nepalis have suffered loss of lives and property because of the climate crisis. Despite Nepal’s negligible contribution to the crisis, its people have been forced to bear a disproportionate burden,” he said. “Climate justice means recognizing this disproportionate burden and taking concrete measures to address it.”
Khanal said Nepal needs greater international cooperation in climate adaptation, technology transfer and institutional capacity building to minimize the damage caused by climate change. He also stressed that the Loss and Damage Fund, established to provide financial support to countries affected by climate-related disasters, should not become entangled in lengthy administrative procedures.
Referring to recent floods and landslides in the Trishuli and Bhotekoshi river systems, Khanal said disasters in the Himalayan region have caused extensive loss of life and property while severely damaging roads, bridges, hydropower infrastructure and local livelihoods.
“The disaster that struck our Himalayan valley was like a Himalayan tsunami. Floods that arrived within minutes destroyed precious lives, vital highways and bridges, clean hydropower infrastructure and the livelihoods of communities,” he said.
According to Khanal, climate-related disasters are creating structural barriers to Nepal’s development, forcing the government to repeatedly divert limited development resources toward rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
He emphasized that roads, bridges, transmission lines and urban settlements should be designed and constructed to withstand climate-related risks over the next 20 to 30 years.
Khanal also highlighted the need to bridge the gap between scientific research and policymaking. He called for research findings on glacier melting and glacial lake conditions to be promptly incorporated into effective early warning systems capable of delivering timely information to vulnerable farmers and communities in remote areas.
He further stressed the need to strengthen government institutions’ capacity to access and utilize climate finance effectively and to expand scientific cooperation with neighboring countries, noting that climate risks transcend national borders. He said water and weather data should be exchanged with neighboring countries without political interference to improve the safety of shared river systems and reduce disaster risks.
Khanal said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a Climate Diplomacy Section to strengthen Nepal’s role in international climate negotiations. According to him, the new mechanism will connect Nepal’s domestic climate realities with international negotiations and help make the country’s diplomatic efforts more coordinated, continuous and effective.
Referring to the Himalayas as the “Third Pole,” Khanal said protecting the Himalayan region is crucial not only for Nepal but also for global ecological security, as water originating from glaciers supports the livelihoods of around two billion people living downstream.
He said Nepal’s international climate advocacy should be grounded in communities’ lived experiences, scientific evidence and practical solutions, particularly in the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) and the mid-term review of the Doha Action Plan.
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