Nepal's climate call is a test for India, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Nepal has shifted its approach from ad-hoc relief to seeking climate justice and financial liability after recent catastrophic flash floods.
• Kathmandu appealed to the UN-backed Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and called on developed countries for compensation and concessional climate finance.
• Nepal is pressing regional neighbours, including India and China, for cooperation on preparedness, data sharing, and resilience.
• This presents a dilemma for India, which historically argues the Global North bears sole responsibility for climate loss and damage.
• India is urged to evolve from a donor to a co-underwriter of regional climate justice, given its emissions footprint and infrastructure investments in the Third Pole.

Detailed Insights:

• Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah is expected to present this case at the UN General Assembly on September 24.
• Global climate finance mechanisms like the UN Green Climate Fund (GCF) have proven slow and inadequate, with a project for Nepal sitting in its pipeline for over seven years.
• The UN Loss and Damage Fund, established at COP27, has insufficient capital compared to Nepal's estimated reconstruction bill of nearly 10% of its GDP.
• India's low per capita emissions and minimal historical contribution to global warming complicate its position on accepting direct "liability" for climate damages.
• Accepting such liability could set a precedent for claims from other South Asian and Pacific Island countries, weakening India's leverage against the Global North.
• Rejecting Nepal's appeals risks increasing China's influence in the Himalayas, as Beijing is actively pursuing climate and green outreach.
• India could establish a South Asian Resilience and Insurance Facility through regional bodies like BIMSTEC or a Third Pole Compact.
• This facility would function as a rapid-payout insurance pool, triggered by satellite detection of climate events, bypassing diplomatic delays.
• India should leverage its space capabilities to create a real-time, open-access early warning system for the Himalayan belt.
• Joint projects should prioritize resilience, directing infrastructure funds towards adaptation for climate-proof local works and safer mountain livelihoods.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Third Pole: The high-mountain Asia region, including the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Tibetan Plateau, which holds the largest reserve of frozen freshwater outside the polar regions.
• Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): A principle in international environmental law recognizing that all countries share responsibility for environmental protection, but with varying levels of responsibility and capacity.
• Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF): A sudden release of a large volume of water from a glacial lake due to the failure of its natural dam, often made of ice or moraine.
• UN-backed Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage: A financial mechanism established at COP27 to provide assistance to vulnerable developing countries for irreversible climate change impacts.
• UN Green Climate Fund (GCF): A global fund created under the UNFCCC to support developing countries in their efforts to respond to climate change through mitigation and adaptation projects.
• BIMSTEC: The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, a regional organization connecting South and Southeast Asian countries.
• New Development Bank (NDB): A multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states to fund infrastructure and sustainable development projects in developing countries.
• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): A multilateral development bank focused on financing infrastructure and sustainable development projects in Asia.