UNITED NATIONS | Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has warned world leaders that the catastrophic floods that killed at least 1,450 people in the Himalayan nation are a stark warning of the growing dangers of climate change, while urging international support for recovery and a new regional system to strengthen disaster preparedness.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24, Shah said the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli flood disaster was not only a national tragedy but a warning for the wider world. Reuters reported that Nepal’s recovery and reconstruction needs are estimated at about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product, prompting Shah to call for grant-based assistance rather than additional debt for rebuilding.
Shah said Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions but is facing severe consequences from a warming climate. He linked the disaster to increasingly unstable Himalayan conditions, including melting permafrost, unstable mountain slopes and risks involving glaciers, floods and landslides. Nepal’s government said more than 6,000 people remained missing following the disaster.
The prime minister proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China. Under the proposal, the three countries would share satellite data and scientific expertise, monitor dangerous glacial lakes, strengthen early-warning systems and coordinate assistance when disasters cross national borders.
Shah also called for greater international climate financing, arguing that vulnerable countries should not have to borrow heavily to repair damage caused by climate-related disasters. He invoked the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities,” under which countries that have historically contributed more to global emissions and have greater capacity to respond are expected to do more.
The warning echoes an earlier appeal by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who visited Nepal in 2023 and warned that the Himalayan region was facing accelerating glacier loss. The UN said Nepal had lost nearly one-third of its ice in just over three decades and that its glaciers were melting 65% faster in the previous decade than in the decade before it.
Nepal has faced major disasters before, including the devastating earthquakes of 2015, which killed nearly 9,000 people and caused about $7 billion in damage and losses. The World Bank said the disaster led to a large-scale reconstruction effort focused on making homes and infrastructure more resilient to future hazards.
The latest disaster comes as Nepal continues to face the combined pressures of floods, landslides, earthquakes and climate-related changes in its mountainous environment. Shah told the UN that the country now needs to move beyond responding to disasters after they happen and invest more heavily in preparedness, resilient infrastructure, early warnings and international cooperation.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
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