Nepal Prime Minister Tells UN Deadly Floods Are a Warning to the World
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balen Shah drew global attention to recent flash floods that hit Nepal this August, describing it as a ‘warning to the world ‘about the consequences of climate change.
While addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly on September 24 in New York in a black Dhaka topi with signature dark sunglasses, which he used for medical reasons, he urged countries to help his country adapt.
In August, Nepal suffered one of the worst catastrophes in its recent history, after the Bhotekoshi River region was struck by a flash flood following a high-altitude rock and ice collapse, leaving more than 1400 people died and 6000 peoples are still missing.
Balen Shah said, “Nepal contributes less than 0.1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. We did not create this crisis, yet we are paying for it.” He pointed out that Nepal is facing retreating glaciers, increasingly unstable mountain slopes and unpredictable rivers. “For Nepal, climate catastrophe is not just a humanitarian event, but a development emergency,
During his address, he added that major disasters like Nepal’s recent floods destroy infrastructure and livelihoods, forcing poorer countries to borrow money to rebuild damage they did not cause.
Nepal’s PM criticised the complexity of the international climate-finance system. “Climate finance must not become a bureaucratic maze through which vulnerable countries spend years proving that they need help,” he said. “When the house is burning, we do not ask the family to complete fifty forms. We act.”
“Those who have historically contributed more to the problem, and those with greater capacity to respond, must do more,” he said.
Shah Urges International Community To Support Climate Adaptation
In his first address at the United Nations General Assembly, Shah urged the international community to help adapt to come forward in support of Nepal amidst coping with the challenges of climate change, because ” Nepal cannot build resilience alone against a crisis made worse by the failure of global governance.”
