Nepal seeks $20m climate compensation after floods kill 1,300

September 9, 2026 at 11:17 AM2 min

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Nepal is demanding $20 million in climate compensation from the UN Loss and Damage Fund after August 26 floods killed more than 1,300 people. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Nepal is paying the price for a crisis it did not create. President Ramchandra Paudel urged the international community to ensure climate justice for vulnerable countries.

Key Facts

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the country is paying the ultimate price for a global crisis it did not create.
The UN Loss and Damage Fund faces a $2.8 billion funding gap as it prepares to approve its first climate recovery projects.
Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and generates most of its electricity from renewable sources.
Glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain range lost ice 65 percent faster between 2011 and 2020 than during the previous decade.
Nepal's glaciers have lost close to one-third of their ice volume in roughly three decades due to global warming, the United Nations said in 2023.

Climate Justice Demand

Nepal's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Environment sent a joint letter to the United Nations requesting $20 million in damages. The request was directed to the UN Loss and Damage Fund, established in 2022 under the 2015 Paris Agreement. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told AFP that support for Nepal should be seen as climate justice, not aid or charity. President Ramchandra Paudel made a similar appeal in a national address on Monday.

Vulnerability and Emissions

Nepal contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and generates most of its electricity from renewable sources. Its location in the Himalayas makes it particularly vulnerable to severe climate and weather events. Nepal's glaciers are sandwiched between two major carbon emitters, India and China. The United Nations said in 2023 that Nepal's glaciers have lost close to one-third of their ice volume in roughly three decades due to global warming.

Regional Glacier Loss

Glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain range lost ice 65 percent faster between 2011 and 2020 than during the previous decade. The mountain range spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Climate activist Tanuja Pandey said there is collective frustration behind Nepal's demand for climate justice.