- Nepal is demanding $20m in climate compensation for recent devastating floods, as a senior minister called on the world’s most polluting countries to wake up and accept shared responsibility for a disaster that led to the death or disappearance of more than 6,000 people.
- Nepal’s foreign minister, Shisir Khanal, called for climate justice and said it was imperative the world’s biggest economies stepped up to help Nepal recover and rebuild after the catastrophic floods.
- Khanal described the flood as “a tsunami that was coming from the Himalayas” with waves as high as 60, 70 feet and speeds of almost 180km per hour, wiping out towns, villages and highways.
- Nepal’s ministry of finance and ministry of environment wrote a joint letter to the loss and damage fund to request $20m in climate-related damages.
- Khanal said the compensation amount was “obviously not nearly enough” to cover the damage, with total damage estimated upwards of $5bn, and over 20,000 homes likely needing to be rebuilt.
- The UN’s loss and damage fund faces a “significant financing gap”, with requests totalling $2.8bn from about 119 countries but only around $400m given so far; the US has given just $17m after Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement.
- Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while its neighbours India and China are among the world’s biggest emitters.
Nepal is demanding $20 million in climate compensation from the international community following devastating floods that have resulted in the death or disappearance of over 6,000 people.1
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal emphasized the need for major polluters to take responsibility, stating, “This felt like a tsunami that was coming from the Himalayas.” He described waves reaching heights of 60 to 70 feet and traveling at speeds of 180 km/h, causing widespread destruction.2
Nepal, which contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is facing severe climate impacts, with its mountains warming nearly 50% faster than the global average. The UN reported that Nepal's glaciers have lost close to a third of their ice in just over 30 years due to global heating.
Khanal confirmed that the Nepalese government has requested $20 million in climate-related damages from the UN, acknowledging that this amount is “obviously not nearly enough” to cover the estimated $5 billion in total damages. Upwards of 20,000 homes will need to be rebuilt, along with critical infrastructure like highways.567
The UN is currently facing a significant financing gap, having received requests totaling $2.8 billion from about 119 countries, but only around $400 million has been provided by the international community.89
The US has contributed just $17 million since withdrawing from the Paris Agreement under former President Donald Trump.
“Foreign minister Shisir Khanal described the flood as 'a tsunami that was coming from the Himalayas' with waves up to 60-70 feet at 180km/h, wiping out towns and highways. Nepal contributes less than 0.1% of global emissions, while the UN's loss and damage fund faces a $2.8bn request gap with only $400m given so far.”
The Guardian
