Shah Proposes Nepal–China–India Climate Resilience Mechanism at UN General Assembly

Dragon Media News Desk

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has proposed a Himalayan climate resilience mechanism led by Nepal, China and India. Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, he described the Bhote Koshi–Trishuli disaster as a warning of climate risks that cross national borders.

Shah said the three countries could use the proposed mechanism to share satellite data and scientific expertise, monitor dangerous glacial lakes, strengthen joint early warning systems and coordinate assistance when disasters strike. He urged them to replace fragmented information with shared preparedness across the Himalayan region.

The prime minister said the floods had killed at least 1,400 people and left more than 6,000 missing. A rapid assessment put Nepal’s physical recovery needs at about 10 percent of its gross domestic product, he said. Shah thanked China and India, along with other countries, UN agencies and humanitarian organisations, for assisting Nepal after the disaster.

Nepal accounts for less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but faces severe climate impacts, Shah told the assembly. He pointed to retreating glaciers, unstable mountain slopes and increasingly unpredictable rivers that threaten communities, roads, schools, farms and clean energy infrastructure. Countries with greater historical responsibility for emissions and greater capacity to respond should do more, he said.

Shah called for adequate grant-based support for recovery and reconstruction rather than leaving vulnerable countries dependent on large loans. He said existing climate finance mechanisms, including the fund for responding to loss and damage, remained inadequate and difficult to access. Beyond relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction, he urged international attention to responsibility, reparation and resilience.

The prime minister also raised concerns about global supply chains and economic fairness. He contrasted the efficient movement of weapons with the difficulties Nepali farmers face in obtaining fertiliser and families face in securing fuel. Climate justice, he argued, concerns both who bears the cost of a crisis and whose voice is heard when decisions are made.

Referring to the aspirations of Nepal’s younger generation, Shah reaffirmed his government’s commitment to jobs, social protection and opportunities for Nepalis to thrive at home. He called for sustained investment in stronger infrastructure, early warning, insurance and disaster preparedness.