Kathmandu [Nepal], October 2 – Nepal has called for faster and more accessible international climate finance, saying countries vulnerable to climate disasters should not face lengthy procedures to access funds when emergencies strike.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal made the call at the inaugural Kathmandu Climate Week, where he said Nepal had formally approached the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage following the August disaster.
Khanal said the fund should be adequately capitalised through new public grants and provide immediate financial support to countries facing climate-related losses.
Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Khanal said, arguing that the country nevertheless faces a disproportionate burden from climate impacts.
“Climate justice means acknowledging this disproportionate burden,” he said, calling for predictable climate finance, adaptation support, technology transfer and capacity-building.
Khanal also announced the establishment of a dedicated Climate Diplomacy Section at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying it would connect the country’s domestic climate challenges with its international climate negotiations.
He said Nepal’s climate diplomacy must be backed by stronger action at home, including climate-resilient infrastructure, real-time early-warning systems, stronger institutional capacity to manage climate finance and greater regional cooperation on transboundary climate risks.
The foreign minister also pointed to Nepal’s recent efforts to put Himalayan vulnerabilities on the international agenda.
At the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Nepal convened the “Sagarmatha to the Sea” dialogue, bringing together mountain, island and coastal nations.
Khanal said Nepal would carry that agenda into upcoming international forums including COP31 while drawing on scientific evidence and the experiences of communities affected by climate change.
