PM Balen Demands Climate Justice at UN, Calls Bhote Koshi and Trishuli Floods a Global Warning
Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) drew the world's attention to the devastating damage from Nepal's Bhote Koshi and Trishuli floods at the 81st UN General Assembly. He demanded climate justice, noting that Nepal suffers the impacts of climate change despite its low carbon emissions.
Kathmandu — Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) has said the devastating floods in Nepal's Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers are a serious warning for the global community. Addressing the 81st UN General Assembly, he said the tragedy suffered due to climate change is not just Nepal's but a shared crisis for all humanity.
In his first address at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Prime Minister Shah drew the world's attention to the damage caused by the August 26 floods.
According to Balen, the disaster has killed 1,400 people, while more than 6,000 remain missing. Initial estimates suggest that rebuilding Nepal's physical infrastructure will cost about 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Prime Minister Shah presented the reality that although Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is paying a severe price for climate change.
'We did not create this crisis, but we are bearing its brunt.'
He warned that melting glaciers and unexpected changes in river flows have made the geomorphology of the Himalayan region unstable.
Prime Minister Shah, raising the demand for climate justice, criticized the cumbersome system in the aid process.
'When a house is on fire, people are not asked to fill out forms; they are rescued immediately. That is what climate justice must mean.'