Antalya (Türkiye), November 10 – Nepal’s national pavilion at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye brought the country’s climate priorities to the global stage.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, leading Nepal’s delegation inaugurated the pavilion which showcases biodiversity conservation and community adaptation initiatives.
Addressing the ceremony, Khanal urged international attention to threats facing the fragile Himalayan ecosystem particularly melting glaciers and other cryosphere-related hazards. He described the August 26 Bhotekoshi disaster as a “Himalayan tsunami”.
He said Nepal despite contributing relatively little to global emissions bears a disproportionate share of climate change impacts. Khanal called for climate justice easier access to loss-and-damage finance, stronger resilience in mountain regions and greater protection for downstream communities.
Health and Food Safety Minister Nisha Mehta and House of Representatives member Sagar Dhakal also addressed the ceremony.
Khanal attended COP31’s opening plenary, chaired by Türkiye’s Minister for Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum. Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen presided over negotiations.
On the conference sidelines, Khanal met Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos. He thanked Ethiopia for its solidarity after Nepal’s recent climate-related disasters. The ministers discussed climate change, sustainable graduation from the least developed country category, trade, air connectivity, tourism, people-to-people ties and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
