Nepal PM Balendra Shah calls for climate justice at UNGA

Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah highlighted the catastrophic Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods, which he described as a “Himalayan Tsunami.” The disaster, caused by melting permafrost and glacial retreat, resulted in over 1,400 deaths and left more than 6,000 people missing.

Shah emphasized that while Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it faces immense recovery costs. He criticized the current reliance on debt-driven aid and called for streamlined, grant-based climate financing. To address regional threats, he proposed a trilateral Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India, and China to monitor glacial hazards and implement early-warning systems.

Speaking for the wider Hindu Kush Himalaya region, Shah argued that the destabilization of Himalayan ecology affects ecosystems and livelihoods for nearly two billion people. He called for “shared responsibility and solidarity,” urging nations with higher historical emissions to take greater responsibility for the climate crises impacting vulnerable, low-emitting countries.