Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has proposed the creation of a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism involving Nepal, India and China to improve cooperation in dealing with climate-related disasters in the Himalayan region.
Shah made the proposal during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly. He said the mechanism could allow the three countries to share satellite data and technical expertise, monitor dangerous glaciers and glacial lakes, strengthen early-warning systems and coordinate assistance when disasters occur.
The Prime Minister warned that climate change is increasing risks across the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. He said Nepal’s glaciers are retreating, mountain slopes are becoming less stable and rivers are becoming increasingly unpredictable. These changes can increase the risk of ice-rock avalanches, floods and landslides.
Shah’s proposal comes after a devastating disaster that struck the Nepal-China border region on August 26. An ice-rock avalanche in the upper Bhote Koshi watershed triggered a massive debris flow and flooding, causing widespread destruction in Nepal and affecting areas across the border in China. Floodwaters also travelled downstream towards India.
The disaster caused extensive damage to homes, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure across northern and central Nepal. Thousands of people were killed or remain missing, while rescue teams have continued searching affected areas and hydropower facilities.
Recent reports have placed Nepal’s death toll at more than 1,400, with thousands of people still missing. The exact figures have continued to change as authorities recover and identify victims.
Shah described the disaster as a warning that climate-related risks in the Himalayas can cross national borders. He argued that cooperation among Nepal, India and China could improve the ability of the three countries to detect threats early and respond more quickly when disasters occur.
The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is particularly important because it supports water supplies, agriculture, ecosystems and livelihoods for nearly two billion people. Shah said the Himalayas should become a centre for international cooperation rather than an area where information remains divided between countries.
Shah also thanked India, China and other countries for providing assistance following the disaster. He called for stronger international support for climate-vulnerable countries and said Nepal needs greater investment in disaster preparedness, resilient infrastructure and early-warning systems.
The proposed mechanism is still an initiative put forward by Nepal and would require cooperation from India and China to become operational. If established, it could provide a regional framework for sharing information and coordinating responses to climate and disaster risks across the Himalayas.