{"id":54985,"date":"2026-09-14T14:05:39","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T08:20:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/?p=54985"},"modified":"2026-09-14T14:05:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T08:20:39","slug":"bhotekoshi-floods-climate-justice-delayed-is-climate-justice-denied","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/bhotekoshi-floods-climate-justice-delayed-is-climate-justice-denied\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhotekoshi floods: Climate justice delayed is climate justice denied"},"content":{"rendered":"
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-Narayan Prasad Ghimire<\/strong><\/p>\n

“What is happening in this country as a result of climate change is an appalling injustice and an indictment of the fossil fuel age. I am deeply concerned by those communities in Nepal facing the brutal impacts of the climate crisis.” It was what UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres said during his address to a joint session of Nepal’s federal parliament on October 31, 2023.
\nIt was a month before the 28th edition of COP, an annual UN climate event. The global leader had visited even the Everest Base Camp and released video exposing ‘drama of receding glaciers’. He then had urged the world to stand with the communities affected by the climate crisis in Nepal. He had\/has repeatedly asked the world to deliver climate justice. Guterres had said, “Nepal’s mountains are crying out for help.”<\/p>\n

Since 2023, Nepal has witnessed various alarming climate events and the Bhotekoshi flash flood occurred on August 26 is the latest one. The flood disaster caused by glacier collapse struck Nepal-China border; ripped through Rasuwa district and wiped out the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli corridor of Nepal. The death toll has climbed to 1,388 while the number of those gone missing has crossed 5,000. The number of injured people in trail of devastation stands at 7,655. With its preliminary observation, the government produced a document, estimating that Nepal would require Rs 723.31 billion for the reconstruction and recovery following the catastrophic floods.<\/p>\n

The intensity and extent of the disaster has shocked climate scientists, researchers and geologists, let alone the climate\/environment activists and advocates. The Himalayan tragedy has spread a shock wave across the globe. The Himalayan countries must have been upset more by this event and thought of how they could cope with next tragedy of similar nature.<\/p>\n

In this connection, an acclaimed youth climate activist Greta Thunberg also made a call in favour of Nepal. Presenting the devastation data, she said, “The scale of this catastrophe is unfathomable,” she said, adding, “We desperately need climate reparation. Stop calling aid. Stop calling generosity. What is owed to Nepal is climate debt.”<\/p>\n

It is equally worth-noting to recollect Nepal’s several endeavours made previously to draw world’s attention towards the disproportionate impacts of climate change it has suffered over decades. Through the UN process and groups of LDCs, Nepal has vocally raised the climate agenda. It had event submitted a statement before International Court of Justice (ICJ), joining the UN move on seeking advisory opinion on climate change.<\/p>\n

ICJ’s advisory opinion<\/strong><\/p>\n

The issue of climate justice has become so pressing across the globe that even the United Nations sought advisory opinion from its legal body, the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2024, Nepal government too had submitted its 11-page written statement on ‘obligations of states in respect of climate change’ to ICJ, requesting for advisory opinion. In the submission, Nepal had reminded role of developed countries in climate change, and clearly mentioned, “The developed states have legal obligations to make adequate reparations to share the benefits of their scientific advancements, climate data, modelling tools, and scientific expertise to improve their understanding of climate impacts vulnerabilities, and mitigation options with the global community, particularly with developing countries like Nepal which lack the resources to conduct their research and development efforts.” The statement is available in ICJ website.<\/p>\n

In 2025, ICJ came up with the strong reminder on climate change and urgency of global actions. However, the global legal body has not urged any individual nation to pay certain amount to another nation in climate damages. It has finely reminded the State responsibilities and international obligations.<\/p>\n

The Advisory Opinion by ICJ has been hailed by many, for it whetted debate on climate change and climate justice in the international law. In her analyses of ICJ’s 2025 Advisory Opinion, international environmental lawyer and academic Caroline E. Foster, wrote, “Advisory opinions are advisory only, and non-binding in character, but frequently they clarify binding international law. This particular Advisory Opinion can also be expected to have further wide-ranging utility as an advocacy and policy-shaping tool, guiding legal argumentation and litigation strategies and the development of governmental and institutional climate policies.”<\/p>\n

Reinforcement of advocacy<\/strong><\/p>\n

At a time when the issues of climate justice, climate compensation, climate diplomacy, compensation diplomacy and global advocacy for justice to Nepal have been vehemently brought to fore in the wake of August 26 Bhotekoshi flash flood, the statements and observation made by the UN chief though earlier and the fresh one by Thunberg and ICJ’s advisory opinion a year back count to reinforce Nepal’s advocacy. Nepal’s cry for climate justice is validated by the science that it has negligible role in greenhouse gas emission, but suffers worst with increasing unprecedented climate disasters.<\/p>\n

The advocacy for climate justice- availability of adequate fund with simplified process to access, and technology and knowledge transfer- to cope with climate tragedies are decades-long agenda Nepal has raised in the global events including the COP. Within country, several expert opinions and recommendations are made to government to emerge stronger for making its demand of climate justice further impactful before international community.<\/p>\n

Undoubtedly, the August 26 catastrophe has reinforced Nepal’s claim for adequate support from the developed nations, which enjoyed utmost benefits of industrialization with burning of fossil fuels for centuries. However, sympathies and in-kind and monetary assistances have poured in from many- neighbours and friendly countries- to Nepal at this tragedy. It is appreciative in deed.
\nFinance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle and Environment Minister Geeta Chaudhary wrote an official letter to Co-Chairs of Board of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), requesting for emergency support. Through the letter, the two ministers reminded that the Bhotekoshi not only caused a trail of devastation but also undermined development gains. Nepal is facing loss and damage beyond its capacity to address alone, they added. FRLD has responded after a week, but guarantee of immediate support is awaited.<\/p>\n

PM’s visit to UNGA<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the intensity of situation and urgency of a global call for climate justice in the background, Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to attend the upcoming UN General Assembly. According to Foreign Ministry, PM Shah will address the UNGA on October 8. In a recent press meeting the Ministry held on PM’s upcoming visit, foreign secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said the 81st session of UNGA would be an appropriate occasion for Nepal to inform the international community on how Nepal was facing grave consequences of climate change, while its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is too little.<\/p>\n

In addition to the UNGA participations and engagements, Nepal has been securing several high-level attendances in the events that dwell on global concern including climate change and its impact every year. The PM’s visit this year to the UNGA, as stated by foreign ministry, would help create more favourable atmosphere to awake the world community on climate impacts and the associated responsibilities.<\/p>\n

Similarly, upcoming conference of parties (COP) in November is another opportunity for Nepal to break the traditional approach of mere drawing up of documents but create pressure on those responsible for climate crisis and intensify the process to access assistance. The lengthy and cumbersome process to access global climate funds is one of the hindrances to climate justice to Nepal. Although the Loss and Damage Fund was established in 2022, the simplified flow of assistance to the needy ones like Nepal is much awaited. The establishment of the globally dedicated fund to response to climate loss and damage was much celebrated then, but the financial flow is not that prompt and simplified, dashing the hope for justice.<\/p>\n

Importantly, while talking about the role and responsibilities of the developed countries in terms of climate change, one cannot forget that some countries secured early development and while are emerging developed ones. As Nepal is seeking immediate support as part of climate justice, whether these new and old treat Nepal’s sensitivity and demand equally also matters. Nepal’s judicious approach lies here to convince the developed countries of both categories so that it secures easier process of fund as climate justice.<\/p>\n

It is time for Nepal to draw up convincing and impactful documentations on the loss and damages and advance claim accordingly. Nepal can whet the debate- ‘climate justice delayed is climate justice denied.’<\/p>\n

Works at home<\/strong><\/p>\n

While, the climate justice and global diplomacy for it has emerged vibrantly in view of the August 26 catastrophe, our works at home must gain pace to minimize further loss and damages. It is time to work for future-ready systems where our climate actions should align with. The latest disaster is a wakeup call for us to think several topics such as urbanization, development of settlements, management of river corridors, additional safety of power plants, balance between physical infrastructures and climate\/ecological concern. Once our activities inherently reinforce the pillars of climate justice, we can better cope up the tragedies. According to the Centre for Climate Justice at University of California, the climate justice has six pillars \u2013 social, racial and environmental justice; climate education and engagement; indigenous climate action; just transition; community resilience and adaptation; and natural climate solutions. These can be points to consider in action and policies. In addition to these, Nepal can bolster environmental cooperation with the immediate neighbours so that research and information exchange and response works can be augmented in an impactful manner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

-Narayan Prasad Ghimire “What is happening in this country as a result of climate change is an appalling injustice and an indictment of the fossil fuel age. I am deeply concerned by those communities in Nepal facing the brutal impacts of the climate crisis.” It was what UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres said during his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,11,18,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main-news","category-national","category-news","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54985"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54985"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54985\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54987,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54985\/revisions\/54987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nepalsamaj.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}