Nepal proposes climate alliance with India and China to combat regional disasters

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has proposed creating a joint climate mechanism with India and China to address disaster threats across the Himalayas, the BBC reported. Speaking at the recent United Nations General Assembly, Shah called for the formation of the Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism. The initiative aims to enhance cross-border disaster response and facilitate the sharing of scientific data and expertise among the three neighboring countries. [1][2]

The proposal follows severe climate-related hazards in the region, including destructive debris floods that struck Nepal in August, according to the BBC. Shah noted that the environmentally fragile region faces growing risks from climate disasters, requiring coordinated regional action despite existing geopolitical tensions between India and China. [1]

As FTMQ Climate reported earlier, high-risk flood zones in the Himalayas have seen increased development in recent years. Building coverage within potential Himalayan flood zones grew by approximately 45 percent between 2016 and 2023, leaving nearly 300,000 people across Nepal, India, and China exposed to flood risks. [8]

Nepal is a landlocked South Asian nation located primarily in the Himalayas, sharing northern land borders with China and borders to the south, east, and west with India. India and China are the two largest countries bordering Nepal in the region. [4][6][7]