Nepal requests $20 million from loss and damage fund after floods — Deutsche Welle
Nepal has requested $20 million from the UN-backed international Loss and Damage Fund after August floods and landslides that killed more than 1,400 people, while thousands are considered missing. Environment Minister Gita Chaudhary said this in an interview with Deutsche Welle English.
According to Chaudhary, the government has already sent an official letter to the fund, and most states have responded positively. The flash floods caused extensive damage to housing, agricultural land and infrastructure. Rescue and recovery operations are still underway in several areas, while authorities assess the overall scale of the damage.
Demand for climate justice
The minister said Nepal needs not only words of sympathy, but also justice. She called on countries with the highest emissions and financial capabilities to pay for the consequences of climate disasters suffered by vulnerable states.
Nepal accounts for approximately 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but its mountainous geography makes the country particularly vulnerable to climate risks. Rising temperatures in the Himalayas are accelerating glacier retreat and increasing the risks of glacial lake outburst floods, landslides and extreme weather events.
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Chaudhary linked the latest disaster to climate change, citing glacier melt, warming and changes in the mountain environment. At the same time, the article notes that detailed attribution studies are usually needed to establish a causal link between a specific disaster and global warming. Researchers may take into account a combination of factors, including glacier and permafrost degradation, extreme weather and geological vulnerability.
Plans ahead of COP31
Nepal intends to seek greater recognition of the specific challenges facing mountain countries at the COP31 climate conference, scheduled for November in Turkey. According to the minister, Kathmandu will also raise the consequences of the floods and the need for concrete international support at the UN General Assembly.
Following the disaster, the government is also reviewing its early warning systems. Chaudhary acknowledged that the existing mechanisms did not cope with the scale of the disaster, although residents received messages and information. Nepal is working with China to monitor river systems and glacial threats that cross state borders.
