KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has called for collective efforts at the global level to address the growing impact of climate change, a borderless phenomenon threatening human civilisation.
Addressing an inaugural session of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Parliamentarians’ Meet 2025 in Kathmandu today, Dr Rana said, “Climate change is a common concern against human civilisation. It goes beyond any specific boundary and geography. So, a solution must be found.”
She urged everyone to act and play their crucial roles in addressing the crisis and other challenges like biodiversity loss and air quality degradation by making laws, mobilising resources, and holding the government accountable. Citing a recent report by the 2025 World Meteorological Organisation that global temperature has reached the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold for the first time, she stressed the need for resolving the problem through rapid decarbonisation efforts, long-term cost reductions, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
The Foreign Minister noted that the recent judgment of the International Court of Justice has made states legally responsible to protect the climate, reduce emissions, combat its serious impacts and prevent transboundary hazards.
Referring to the recent floods in India, Pakistan and Nepal, claiming many lives, leaving many more missing and destroying infrastructure, she said that the Hindu Kush Himalaya is highly vulnerable to the climate change consequences.
Nepal is the most vulnerable country dealing with earthquakes, melting glaciers, erratic rainfall, loss of biodiversity, floods and landslides, she said, adding that the country has to suffer a lot despite contributing the least to carbon emissions. She demanded climate justice for the country.
Dr Rana recalled the first edition of ‘The Sagarmatha Sambaad’ held in Kathmandu last May, where leaders, thinkers and policymakers from around the world gathered and issued a 25-point roadmap for the mitigation of climate change impacts.
