Nepal President Urges Regional Cooperation on Hindu Kush Himalaya Climate Crisis

Leaders and lawmakers from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have called for enhanced regional cooperation to address the escalating crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution, emphasizing the unique vulnerabilities of the mountainous ecosystems. Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel inaugurated the Hindu Kush Himalaya Parliamentarians' Meet, describing it as a foundational step toward a unified roadmap for present and future environmental challenges across the region, which spans from Afghanistan to Myanmar. The conference brought together around 200 delegates, including parliamentarians, policymakers, scientists, and climate experts, to foster collaboration on urgent transboundary issues such as floods, droughts, and glacial melting, with Pakistan highlighting its domestic climate reforms and recent devastating natural disasters. Officials from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) stressed that the HKH region is becoming an epicenter of multi-hazards with increasing geological, hydrological, and climatic risks, while also noting that mountain ecosystems remain underrepresented in global climate policies. The participants urged legislative, executive, and judicial bodies to work in coordination, supported by media and development partners, to create effective policies and speak with one voice in international negotiations. This collective effort aims to ensure the survival and sustainability of the region's mountains, which sustain nearly two billion people and are critical to global environmental health.