Nepal presents four proposals to address mountain crises, backed by 53 countries

Kathmandu: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has stressed the need for international cooperation to address the climate change-induced crises facing the Himalayan region, saying their impacts transcend national borders.

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 on Thursday, Minister Shrestha said that protecting mountain ecosystems required collective global action.

According to the minister’s secretariat, representatives from 53 countries have expressed support for four proposals put forward by Nepal to minimise the impacts of climate change and strengthen cross-border disaster risk management.

One of Nepal’s key proposals calls for the development of a multi-hazard early warning system using satellite technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and other modern tools. The proposed system would be developed through collaboration among international space agencies, scientific institutions and governments to monitor vulnerable mountain slopes and glaciers.

Shrestha also highlighted the proposal put forward by Prime Minister Balendra Shah for establishing a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism. The mechanism aims to facilitate information sharing, glacier monitoring and coordination of early warning systems across the Himalayan region.

Another key proposal emphasises the need for immediate financial assistance for disaster risk reduction, preparedness and recovery. Nepal has called for such assistance to be easily accessible and provided in the form of grants.

Shrestha further stressed that monitoring and early warning systems in high Himalayan areas should be financed through grants rather than loans, given the vulnerability of these regions. He also called for investments in hydropower projects along rivers and in border settlements to take into account disaster risks across the entire river basin, from source to sea.

The four proposals aim to strengthen regional cooperation, improve disaster preparedness and build climate resilience in mountain communities facing growing threats from climate change.