KATHMANDU: Nepal will take a strong message on climate justice, mountain protection and climate finance to COP31, arguing that countries contributing little to global emissions are bearing some of the world's heaviest climate impacts.

Speaking at the National Climate Summit 2026, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said Nepal would push for mountain-specific concerns to receive greater attention in international climate negotiations, warning that accelerating glacier melt and fragile Himalayan ecosystems threaten water, food and energy security far beyond Nepal's borders.

The government plans to advocate for regular high-level dialogue on mountain issues, a dedicated global mountain action plan and stronger recognition of mountain risks in climate policies. Nepal will also continue pressing for the global temperature rise to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, warning that exceeding the threshold could trigger irreversible environmental damage in the Himalayas.

Climate finance will be another major priority. Khanal called for predictable and accessible funding, preferably through grants, to help vulnerable countries recover from disasters and strengthen resilience. He also urged greater support for the Loss and Damage Fund, noting that Nepal has been provisionally allocated US$21.6 million for recovery, reconstruction and monitoring.

The minister said climate justice must address not only economic losses but also the destruction of cultural heritage, displacement of communities and disruption of traditional livelihoods. He stressed that women, Indigenous peoples, children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups should have a greater voice in climate decision-making.

Highlighting the growing cost of climate disasters, Khanal said Nepal would require around US$4.8 billion to rebuild areas damaged by the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods and subsequent landslides, an amount equivalent to about 10 percent of the country's GDP.

Officials also unveiled Nepal's Mountain Strategy and other climate-related policy documents ahead of the UN climate summit in Türkiye.