Bangkok:Nepal has put forward four proposals aimed at addressing the mountain crises caused by climate change, garnering the backing of representatives from 53 countries. The proposals were discussed during a high-level regional dialogue organized in Bangkok by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Government of Nepal. The event, titled ‘From Everest to the Sea,’ highlighted the need for global cooperation in mountain conservation.
According to National News Agency RSS, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, emphasized that the impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region transcend national borders. He underscored the importance of developing a multi-hazard early warning system using satellites, artificial intelligence, and modern technology. This system would be a collaborative effort involving international space agencies, scientific institutions, and governments to monitor hazardous mountain slopes and glaciers.
Minister Shrestha also highlighted Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s proposal for a ‘Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism.’ This initiative aims to enhance the coordination of information exchange, glacier monitoring, and early warning systems across the Himalayan region.
Furthermore, Minister Shrestha stressed the necessity of immediate financial assistance for disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and recovery, advocating for grant-based support rather than loans. He pointed out that monitoring and early warning in high Himalayan areas should be grant-funded and that investments in riverside hydropower projects extending to border towns need to be managed with a comprehensive understanding of risks from the source to the sea.