Nepal intends to submit a claim to the United Nations Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage following catastrophic flooding in the country last month that resulted in approximately 1,400 deaths and 6,150 missing persons. The government plans to request around $20 million from the UN fund and will use a recent scientific study as the primary evidence supporting its application.
A research organization called World Weather Attribution published analysis demonstrating that climate change likely contributed to the disaster. The flooding was triggered by a collapse of rock and glacier ice near Langtang Lirung mountain on the Nepal-Tibet border. According to the study, the event resulted from a combination of rising temperatures, thinning glaciers, thawing permafrost, and underlying geological weaknesses. Scientists found that temperatures in the region during the relevant months were approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer due to human influence on the climate. The study characterized climate change as a destabilizing factor acting upon pre-existing geological conditions rather than the sole cause of the disaster.
Nepal’s government has indicated that the nation requires approximately $5 billion for reconstruction efforts following the floods. Officials emphasize that Nepal contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions while remaining highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The UN Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, which began operations recently, requires countries to demonstrate that climate-related causes contributed to their losses. Nepali authorities have prepared supporting documentation including satellite imagery and drone photographs to strengthen their claim.
The fund faces significant demand, with nearly 120 countries having already submitted claims totaling approximately $3 billion, while the fund has allocated roughly $400 million for distribution. Officials from the UN fund are scheduled to meet in December to evaluate requests and determine whether to expedite Nepal’s application. Nepal’s Prime Minister is expected to address the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the disaster and climate justice issues, framing the needed recovery funds as compensation rather than aid under a polluter-pays principle.
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