Nepal’s PM says when the house is burning, we act
Nepal is not a passive bystander to a remote emergency; it is its barometer, and the instruments are flashing red.
Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah addressed the United Nations General Assembly last week, revealing his desire to discuss more uplifting topics like development, democracy, and national aspirations. However, he was compelled to speak of the catastrophic consequences of recent flash floods that ravaged Nepal. Shah described the floods as "not just a local tragedy, it was a warning to the world."
He stressed that climate change knows no borders, and the effects of rising temperatures are evident in the form of glaciers melting and floods originating without any necessary documentation. Yet, Shah criticized the global leaders for their negligence in translating these warnings into effective action promptly and on a large scale.
Nepal, with its limited coal consumption and negligible oil drilling, contributes minimally to greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this minimal impact, on August 26, the country was hit by a massive flood that swept away villages, claimed over 1,450 lives, and left thousands missing. The aftermath of the disaster included damaged roads and hydropower facilities near the Nepal-China border.
Four weeks after the disaster, Shah stood before the UNGA and posed a critical question: Has the world truly acknowledged this warning or has it merely disregarded it like other global issues?
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.