Kathmandu [Nepal], Oct 29 – Nepal has called for stronger international support for mountain conservation and easier access to climate finance for vulnerable countries ahead of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference, COP31, in Antalya, Türkiye.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal outlined Nepal’s climate priorities while addressing the National Climate Summit 2026 in Kathmandu on Thursday.
Khanal said mountain conservation should be treated as a shared global responsibility and called for predictable, grant-based climate funding with simpler procedures for vulnerable countries to access finance.
He welcomed the provisional allocation of USD 21.6 million to Nepal from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, saying support for countries facing the impacts of climate change must be made more accessible and predictable.
Khanal cited the recent Bhote Koshi disaster, which caused an estimated USD 4.8 billion in damage, as a reminder of the vulnerability of Himalayan ecosystems.
Ahead of COP31, he identified four priorities for Nepal: establishing a dedicated mountain agenda, making loss and damage support operational, securing accessible climate finance and advancing climate justice based on equity.
Khanal also called for a coordinated national approach under Nepal’s “Sagarmatha to the Sea” vision to strengthen the country’s position in international climate negotiations.
The summit also saw the launch of the Mountain Strategy and other climate policy documents, which Khanal welcomed as part of Nepal’s efforts to strengthen its climate agenda.
