KATHMANDU, Oct 29: Nepal has received support from Asia-Pacific countries for its proposal to strengthen regional cooperation in space technology and satellite-based information sharing to improve climate disaster preparedness.
Representatives from 53 countries attending a high-level regional dialogue in Bangkok, Thailand, expressed their commitment to coordinated efforts to address climate-related disasters across the region.
The dialogue was organized jointly by Nepal and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of UNESCAP. Titled ‘From Everest to the Ocean: Lessons from Nepal’s Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Disaster to Prevent Chain Disasters in the Asia-Pacific Region,’ the event brought together ministers, diplomats, scientists and disaster management experts.
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Speaking at the event, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, proposed greater regional cooperation in space technology, satellite data access and information exchange to tackle climate change and reduce disaster risks.
Nepal shared its experience of climate-related disasters in the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river basin, highlighting the extensive damage caused to hydropower projects, road infrastructure, border facilities and local livelihoods. The country also drew attention to the growing risks facing the Himalayan region due to global warming and climate change.
Nepali Ambassador to Thailand Dhan Bahadur Oli and UNESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana emphasized the importance of regional data sharing and integrated early warning systems to protect ecosystems stretching from the mountains to the oceans.
Discussions focused on three key priorities: assessing interconnected risks associated with climate change, glaciers and geological shifts; ensuring timely cross-border exchange of emergency data, hydrological measurements and risk information; and improving early warning systems through satellite mapping, space technology, artificial intelligence and youth-led innovation.
Nepal was represented by National Planning Commission member Sanjay Acharya, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority Chief Executive Officer Dharmaraj Upreti, and Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Director General Archana Shrestha, who presented papers and analytical findings.
Representatives from Thailand, Bhutan, Fiji, Samoa and Sri Lanka, along with participants from Kyrgyzstan, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, India’s Space Research Organisation, the World Meteorological Organization, ICIMOD and the Asian Development Bank, also stressed the need for a regional action plan to strengthen disaster resilience, particularly across the Himalayan region.
