Nepal launched a three-day environmental summit on Friday in Kathmandu to address global climate change, focusing particularly on the effects in the Himalayas, where melting snow and glaciers are increasingly alarming scientists and local communities alike.
Titled “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity,” the conference is gathering leaders and climate experts to explore urgent environmental challenges and their global implications.
Speaking at the event’s opening, Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli emphasized the broader importance of mountain ecosystems. “From the lap of Sagarmatha (Everest), the world’s highest peak, we send this message loud and clear — to protect the mountains is to protect the planet. To protect the mountains is to protect our seas. To protect the mountains is to protect humanity itself,” he declared.
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s ten tallest peaks including Everest, is witnessing rapid glacier melt due to rising global temperatures. This poses heightened risks of rockslides, avalanches, and landslides across the Himalayan region.
Scientists warn that if current warming trends persist, the Himalayas could lose up to 80% of their glaciers, triggering more frequent flash floods and glacial lake outbursts.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba called attention to the severity of the situation. “The Himalayas are undergoing an unprecedented stress test, highlighting both the fragility of mountain ecosystems and the lack of robust global climate action,” she said. As a mountainous country highly vulnerable to natural disasters, Nepal is in a critical position, she added.
Deuba pointed to recent extreme weather events — including floods, droughts, glacial lake outbursts, water shortages, and wildfires — that have severely impacted livelihoods and communities throughout Nepal.
Ministers from neighboring countries, including India, Bhutan, and the Maldives, are attending the conference. Organizers plan to issue a “Kathmandu Declaration” at the conclusion of the summit on Sunday, summarizing the outcomes and proposed steps forward.
