Nepal will raise mountain agenda, climate finance and climate justice as priorities at COP-31: Foreign Minister Khanal
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has said Nepal will prioritize the Himalayan agenda, climate finance, loss and damage, and climate justice at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Addressing the National Climate Summit 2026, organized in preparation for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, Minister Khanal said Nepal would strongly raise issues concerning mountain regions and climate-induced losses at the upcoming global climate conference.
Minister Khanal said the ecological systems of the Himalayan region are facing growing risks due to climate change, stressing the need to place mountain issues higher on the international climate agenda.
He recalled Nepal’s efforts through the International Expert Dialogue on Mountains, People and Climate Change in 2024 and the Sagarmatha Sambaad in 2025, and said Nepal would continue this momentum through the next Sagarmatha Sambaad scheduled for 2027.
According to Khanal, Nepal will advocate for regular high-level dialogues on mountains, a dedicated mountain work programme, and the systematic integration of mountain-specific vulnerabilities into global climate frameworks.
Referring to the devastating Himalayan disaster of August 26 and subsequent floods and landslides, Khanal said the disasters had caused significant loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure, livelihoods and the economy.
He said preliminary assessments indicate that reconstruction and recovery from the August disaster alone could require around USD 4.7 billion, equivalent to nearly 10% of Nepal’s national GDP.
He emphasized that the losses extend beyond economic damage, affecting families, communities, cultural heritage and traditional livelihoods.
Khanal stressed that the ecological stability of the Himalayas is directly linked to water, food, energy and economic security for millions of people beyond Nepal’s borders.
The Foreign Minister said addressing loss and damage should become a key measure of international climate solidarity, particularly as recent disasters have exposed the limitations of existing adaptation capacities.
He highlighted the recent decision of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage to provisionally allocate USD 21.6 million to Nepal, comprising USD 20 million for recovery and reconstruction and USD 1.6 million for oversight fees.
According to Khanal, the allocation marks an important milestone in international climate cooperation, with Nepal becoming the first country to secure such an allocation.
He called for adequate capitalization of the fund, simplified access and timely disbursement, particularly for countries facing catastrophic climate events.
Khanal said Nepal’s third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) estimates that the country will require approximately USD 18 billion to USD 20 billion in adaptation financing between 2025 and 2035.
He said Nepal will advocate for the timely implementation of the COP30 commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2035, along with improved access to climate funds, technology transfer and capacity building.
He also stressed the importance of predictable, equitable and grant-based climate financing that allows vulnerable countries to strengthen resilience while pursuing sustainable development.
Reiterating the importance of climate justice, Khanal said Nepal’s negligible contribution to global emissions contrasts with the growing climate-related losses it faces.
He noted that Nepal’s forests, glaciers and mountain ecosystems contribute to ecological stability beyond the country’s borders, while vulnerable nations continue to bear disproportionate climate impacts.
He also emphasized the need for women, children, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and marginalized communities to have meaningful participation in climate-related decision-making.
Khanal said climate change has become an increasingly important component of Nepal’s foreign policy.
He informed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a dedicated Climate Diplomacy Section to advance Nepal’s climate priorities through bilateral diplomacy, regional partnerships and multilateral cooperation.
He said Nepal’s diplomatic missions would continue to mobilize international partnerships, facilitate technological cooperation and amplify the country’s climate concerns globally.
Calling for a unified national position ahead of COP31, Khanal urged a coordinated, whole-of-nation approach to translate Nepal’s climate priorities into measurable outcomes.
On the occasion, Foreign Minister Khanal and Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary jointly unveiled the Mountain Strategy and climate-related policy documents.
The initiatives are aimed at strengthening Nepal’s climate resilience and advancing its national priorities in the face of growing climate risks.
