By Shanker Man Singh

Nepal is preparing to raise key climate-related issues—climate finance, carbon trading, adaptation and mitigation, and Himalayan conservation—at the upcoming COP-30, which will be held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10 to 21, 2025.

According to the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal has begun consultations with national stakeholders to finalize its official agenda for the conference. The country’s position will largely follow the priorities outlined in the Sagarmatha Dialogue 2025, which produced a 25-point “Sagarmatha Call” for stronger partnerships, sustainable development, and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Climate Challenges in Nepal

Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Nepal ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. The impacts of climate change are visible across all ecological zones: melting glaciers and glacial lake outbursts in the Himalayas, frequent landslides and droughts in the hills, and recurrent floods in the Terai/Madhesh plains.

The most affected groups include small farmers, indigenous communities, women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly—many of whom depend directly on natural resources for survival. The country’s fragile geography and limited adaptive capacity further exacerbate these risks.

When flying into Kathmandu, one can easily observe the vast mountain ranges that are lifelines for nearly 250 million people in the Hindu Kush Himalaya and another 1.65 billion people downstream. The region’s melting glaciers threaten water security for nearly two billion people, underscoring Nepal’s urgent climate predicament.

The Sagarmatha Dialogue and National Agenda

The Sagarmatha Dialogue emphasized green, resilient, and inclusive development across rural and urban areas. It called for promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, equitable access to energy, and a transition toward a green, circular, and bio-economy.

In preparation for COP-30, Nepal has intensified efforts through the National Environment and Climate Change Council, the COP Preparatory Committee, and discussions under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which governs carbon markets. The ministry has formulated an official action plan to represent Nepal’s position effectively at COP-30.

Global Context and Nepal’s Position

Each year, COP meetings invite countries to update their commitments to mitigate climate change. COP-30 is particularly significant as it represents the midpoint to 2030, when nations are expected to meet their targets under the Paris Agreement.

This year’s summit will focus on phasing out fossil fuels, conserving forests and oceans, protecting biodiversity, transforming food systems, promoting social well-being, and advancing technology and capacity building.

Nepal’s delegation will emphasize climate finance, transparency, mountain issues, capacity building, technology transfer, and climate justice. It will also present case studies of recent climate disasters to illustrate its vulnerability and financial needs.

Nepal’s Demands and Financial Barriers

Historically, Nepal has maintained that wealthy nations should increase their climate-finance responsibilities. Although Nepal has played a negligible role in causing climate change, it bears a disproportionate burden from its consequences.

The country argues for simplified access to international climate funds, noting that cumbersome procedures and eligibility conditions make it difficult for least-developed countries to benefit.

Nepal will once again advocate at COP-30 for greater financial commitments from developed countries, easier access to climate funds, and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, which was established at COP-29 in Paris.

Despite the creation of this fund, experts warn that its implementation will take time. Meanwhile, Nepal must mobilize domestic resources and encourage climate-resilient private investment to reduce its dependence on uncertain international aid.

Financial and Policy Commitments

To meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from 2021–2030, Nepal will require US $33.04 billion, and to achieve its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) goals by 2050, an additional US $47.4 billion—of which the government can contribute only US $100 million.

Nepal has begun integrating climate finance into fiscal and budgetary frameworks through climate budget tagging, a tool designed to track public funds spent on climate-related activities. However, without a concrete strategy to review, prioritize, and reallocate budgets toward climate outcomes, such tools will have limited impact.

The Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action has emphasized the need for transparent, performance-based climate budgeting, which Nepal aims to adopt more systematically.

As per the Paris Agreement and COP-28 decisions, Nepal must submit its third NDC review by February 2025, outlining new climate targets for 2035. A technical committee has already been formed to lead this process.

Record of Nepal’s Participation in COP Conferences

Although Nepal has participated in the annual climate summits since the early 1990s, the outcomes have often fallen short of expectations. To date, the country has been represented at the head of state or government level in only four COPs:

•    COP-15 (2009, Copenhagen): Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal

•    COP-24 (2018, Poland): President Bidya Devi Bhandari

•    COP-27 (2021, Glasgow): Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba

•    COP-28 (2023, Dubai): Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal

•    COP-29 (2024, Baku): President of Nepal

Experts warn that glaciers in Nepal are shrinking at an alarming rate of about 60 meters per year, increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).

Climate Disasters and the Road Ahead

Recent disasters—including the 2025 glacial lake outburst in the Sagarmatha region, 2024 forest fires, 2023 Kagbeni floods, 2021 Melamchi floods, and the Asoj-season landslides in Hali—highlight the rising frequency and intensity of climate-induced calamities.

In addition to sudden disasters, slow-onset climate impacts such as erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts are driving communities into poverty and displacement. These conditions demand robust institutional frameworks, significant financial investment, and coordinated policy responses.

Experts stress that Nepal must prepare both internally and externally to make its voice heard globally. Domestically, this means improving data systems, enhancing local adaptive capacity, and aligning national policies with international commitments. Externally, Nepal must engage diplomatically to secure equitable climate financing and technology transfer.

Conclusion

As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, Nepal approaches COP-30 with both urgency and determination. The country’s message is clear: despite minimal emissions, it faces severe consequences and requires fair access to climate finance, support for adaptation and mitigation, and global recognition of mountain ecosystems as critical to planetary stability.

For COP-30 to be meaningful, Nepal must present evidence-based data, strong policy proposals, and clear financial needs—ensuring that the plight of the Himalayas becomes a global climate priority rather than a regional afterthought.