Our Bureau
Kathmandu
Nepal has called for climate-related compensation from major greenhouse-gas-emitting countries, including India, China and the United States, following a devastating flash flood that has killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands missing. Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said assistance after such disasters should be viewed not as charity but as a matter of responsibility and climate justice.
The demand comes after the catastrophic August 26 flash flood in the Himalayan region, which followed a collapse involving ice, rock and debris. Nepal has reported more than 1,100 deaths, while the disaster caused extensive destruction to homes, bridges, roads and hydropower infrastructure. Rescue teams from Nepal and neighbouring countries continue to search for missing people and clear affected areas.
Khanal has argued that Nepal’s contribution to global greenhouse-gas emissions is negligible compared with that of major industrialised economies, yet the country faces severe consequences from a warming climate. The government is therefore pushing for greater international accountability and financial support for recovery and climate adaptation.
Nepal’s climate diplomacy, is increasingly about securing resources to rebuild communities and infrastructure damaged by climate-linked disasters, rather than relying solely on emergency aid.
Nepal’s latest demand is thus more than a request for post-flood assistance. It signals a growing push by climate-vulnerable nations to make high-emitting countries more accountable for the escalating costs of a warming planet.