Nepal calls for post-flood aid to be considered climate compensation
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal called on the international community to view support for the country after the deadly floods as climate compensation rather than charitable aid. According to Anadolu Agency, he described it as a matter of justice for the people of Nepal and the Himalayas.
Consequences of the floods
Flash floods and landslides that occurred on August 26 on the border between Nepal and China claimed the lives of 1,225 people. Nearly 4,757 others are considered missing, including 541 people in China.
Nepalese authorities reported 1,204 deaths, while China had confirmed 21 deaths by Wednesday. According to Khanal, the latest disaster was linked to a glacier collapse.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Climate compensation
Nepal’s foreign minister stated that the country suffers disproportionately from climate change, although its share of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to him, is less than one-tenth of one percent. He also said that glaciers are melting and permafrost is thawing in the Himalayas, creating a risk of glacial floods.
Khanal stressed that protecting the Himalayas cannot be Nepal’s responsibility alone. According to him, Himalayan rivers eventually flow into India and, in some cases, Bangladesh, providing water for agriculture and drinking needs for more than 2 billion people. The minister stated that international support should be regarded as compensation for climate losses.
