KATHMANDU, Sept 26: Nepal has emphasized collective and coordinated efforts among the international community to address climate risks from Nepal’s mountains to the sea in an integrated manner.
During a special event, “Sagarmatha to the Sea: A Call to Action for a Climate-Resilient Future,” held at the United Nations Headquarters today, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said that since climate systems do not recognize political boundaries, mountains, rivers, seas and coastal areas should be seen as parts of a single ecological system.
He highlighted the risks and impacts of climate change before the international community, particularly in the wake of recent climate-related disasters in Nepal.
At the event, he noted that a large portion of rocks and glaciers collapsed in the Langtang area on August 26, causing extensive damage to people, property and critical infrastructure.
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Minister Khanal’s personal secretariat noted that he described the incident as a “Himalayan Tsunami,” emphasizing that debates on climate-related disasters are inevitable.
“‘Sagarmatha to the Sea’ begins with a simple proposition: the climate system does not recognize boundaries,” he said, adding that Everest and the Himalayan region—the third pole—contain the largest volume of snow and ice outside the polar regions, with an inventory of more than 63,700 glaciers.
Nepal has lost close to one-third of its ice over the last three decades, Minister Khanal poignantly stated, adding that the decline is altering river flows and threatening livelihoods downstream, while island and coastal nations confront rising sea levels, erosion and displacement.
Standing at the foot of the Himalayas in 2023, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described these glaciers as “icy reservoirs.” From there, water descends through glaciers and rivers, nourishing ecosystems and communities before reaching the sea, he noted.
He also pointed out that island and coastal countries are facing sea-level rise, coastal erosion and displacement, emphasizing that we should see the mountains and the ocean not as separate but as interconnected parts of the climate system.
“In order to address the climate crisis, we need to include the relationship between the mountains, freshwater systems and oceans in science, policy and investment, give more priority to mountains in climate processes, and accelerate emissions cuts to keep global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Khanal asserted.
Highlighting the need for developing countries to receive adequate, predictable and easily accessible climate finance, technology and capacity development, Minister Khanal stressed that the fund to address loss and damage should be made effective, accessible and well-resourced.
“Climate justice becomes tangible when the level of responsibility, capacity and risk is reflected in the support that countries receive,” he said.
The minister said that Nepal was making its own contribution to climate change mitigation and environmental protection, noting that around 46 percent of Nepal’s land area was covered by forests, hydropower and electric vehicles were expanding, and community-led environmental protection and management was a priority.
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