KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has stressed that the climate crisis confronting the Himalayan region transcends national boundaries and requires coordinated international action.
Speaking at a high-level regional dialogue titled ‘From Everest to the Sea’, jointly organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Government of Nepal in Bangkok, Shrestha called for stronger global cooperation to protect the Himalayan region.
According to the minister’s secretariat, Nepal’s four proposals aimed at addressing climate change impacts and managing transboundary disaster risks received support from representatives of 53 countries participating in the dialogue.
First, Nepal has proposed developing a multi-hazard early warning system using satellite technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced tools. The initiative would involve collaboration among international space agencies, scientific institutions and governments to monitor vulnerable mountain slopes and glaciers across the Himalayan region.
Second, Shrestha said Prime Minister Balendra Shah had proposed establishing a ‘Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism’ to facilitate information sharing, glacier monitoring and coordination among regional early warning systems.
Third, Nepal has called for immediate financial assistance for disaster risk reduction, preparedness and recovery. The minister emphasised that such support should be accessible and provided primarily through grants rather than loans, particularly for monitoring and early warning systems in the high Himalayan region.
Fourth, Nepal has urged governments and development partners to adopt a comprehensive risk-based approach to investment, covering the entire river system from hydropower projects in upstream areas to settlements and cities downstream, including border communities. Such investments must account for climate and disaster risks from the source of rivers to the sea.
Shrestha emphasised that the growing climate threats in the Himalayas demand collective responsibility, cross-border coordination and sustained international support, as their consequences extend far beyond the region’s geographical boundaries.
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