Himalayan crisis is a crisis for humanity, Khanal tells COP31

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has called for Himalayan protection and resilience to be placed at the centre of global climate action, warning that the crisis facing mountain regions has consequences far beyond national borders.

Addressing a high-level event titled Advancing the Mountain Agenda: Glaciers, Cryosphere and Resilience under Overshoot, Shared Responsibility and Sustainable Financing at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, Khanal said the crisis in the Himalayas was a crisis for humanity.

The event was jointly organised by Nepal, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan and Pakistan.

Khanal said the Himalayas, which cover around 27 percent of the world’s land area, are vital to agriculture, clean energy, biodiversity and water security. He warned that glaciers formed over thousands of years were now melting rapidly within a single generation.

Referring to Nepal’s devastating floods of August 26, which he described as a “Himalayan tsunami”, Khanal said mountain communities were facing severe consequences despite contributing negligibly to global greenhouse gas emissions.

He outlined five priorities for strengthening mountain resilience: accelerating emissions cuts to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius, reducing short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon, protecting fragile mountain ecosystems, ensuring accessible grant-based climate finance, and strengthening monitoring and early warning systems.

He also called for climate finance addressing loss and damage to reach affected communities directly, quickly and equitably.

Emphasising regional cooperation, Khanal proposed formalising the Sagarmatha to Sea partnership to strengthen collaboration and knowledge-sharing between mountain and coastal communities.

He also called for international support for the proposed UN Decade for Mountain Resilience, saying COP31 should bring mountain issues from the margins of climate negotiations to the centre of global action.

Nepal’s delegation at the event included Agriculture, Forests and Environment Minister Geeta Chaudhary, lawmakers and senior government officials.