New Delhi: In a critical bid to address the escalating climate crisis and the growing threat of natural disasters in the region, Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has proposed the creation of a ‘Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism.’ Making his debut address at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Thursday, Shah urged India and China to join hands with Nepal to establish this trilateral cooperative framework.
Highlighting the recent devastating floods that wreaked havoc in his country, Shah pointed out that rising global temperatures are severely destabilising the fragile natural ecosystem of the Himalayas. The catastrophic floods and landslides that struck Nepal on August 26, triggered by a glacial rock collapse in Tibet, claimed the lives of over 1,400 people, with thousands more remaining unaccounted for. The floodwaters caused massive destruction on both sides of the Nepal-China border before ultimately flowing downstream towards India.
“The Hindu Kush Himalaya is home to nearly two billion people. These mountains provide water, ecosystems, agriculture, and livelihoods to populations far beyond Nepal,” the Prime Minister stated in his address. Emphasising that climate change does not recognise borders, and that glaciers and floods do not travel with passports, Shah stressed that the Himalayas should serve as a collaborative laboratory for international cooperation rather than an area of fragmented information.
Under the proposed mechanism, Nepal, India, and China would collaborate to share satellite data and technical expertise. The framework aims to continuously monitor dangerous glacial lakes, significantly strengthen early warning systems, and facilitate seamless cross-border rescue and relief operations during severe natural disasters. Shah warned the global forum that the melting of permafrost is rapidly weakening mountain slopes beneath the glaciers, exponentially increasing the risks of rockfalls, avalanches, and flash floods.
During his speech, the Nepalese leader also drew attention to the glaring issue of climate justice. He noted that while Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the mountainous nation is paying a colossal price for a crisis it did not create. Furthermore, Shah expressed his deep gratitude to the international community, specifically singling out India and China for their immediate assistance and deployment of relief materials in the direct aftermath of the recent floods.