Nepal has sought $20 million in climate-related compensation following the catastrophic floods and landslides that devastated parts of the country. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Nepal, despite contributing less than 0.1% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, is facing severe consequences of a warming climate, including glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters.
The government has approached the UN’s Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, seeking financial support for the destruction caused by the disaster. Nepal says the request should be viewed as climate justice rather than conventional humanitarian aid, arguing that major emitters should share responsibility for losses suffered by highly vulnerable countries.
The floods have caused widespread destruction, with thousands of people dead or missing and major damage to homes, roads and hydropower infrastructure. Nepal says the overall reconstruction bill could run into billions of dollars, making international climate financing crucial for recovery and rebuilding.