“Hit by the climate we did not warm, and hit again by the wars we did not start.” This is the story of almost every small state, aptly described by the Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah in his United National General Assembly speech. Whether it is the war in West Asia or the climate induced disasters like floods, droughts and avalanches, it is the small states that suffer the most. 

The recent flash floods and landslides are an example of what small states like Nepal are facing. Climate-induced disasters are no fairytale; the death of around 1400 people of various nationalities and around 6000 still missing paints a grim picture of what climate change can do to communities and countries. 

The damage caused by the catastrophic flooding was so immense that Nepal needs almost $5 billion to make a recovery. However, a small state like Nepal neither has the resources nor the expertise to deal with such destruction. It needs all the help it can get. The UNGA speech by Balen Shah should be taken seriously because it reminds us that climate change is real and happening and the next disaster can strike anywhere. His speech was a plea to the world that climate change needs a cooperative effort for the survival of future generations. 

Whether it is the floods in Nepal, India and China, droughts in Africa or the heat waves in Europe, none of it can be seen in isolation. Climate change needs a concerted effort. The common but differentiated responsibilities have remained a dead letter; the countries, “who have historically contributed more to the problem and those with greater capacity to respond” should do more to mitigate the risks of climate change. 

The disasters in the Himalayan region are not isolated; the Himalayan countries cannot wait for the world to wake up to climate change disasters. The countries need to come together and work towards mitigating the risks and adapting to the ongoing climate change and formulate policies to safeguard the lives of the people in the region. 

Constructive Proposals by Nepal PM

Nepal's PM proposed a "Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism, led by Nepal, India and China. Through this mechanism”, the countries could “share satellite data and expertise.” This could be a good initiative, as it would help predict disasters and prepare for them. However, it should not be restricted but expanded to countries like Bangladesh and Bhutan, which also face climate change-related risks. There should be a regional alliance of Himalayan countries, formed especially to counter climate-induced risks. 

Second, the countries should form a real-time early warning system so that the countries can prepare and take measures in advance to deal with the impending threats. India and China should take the lead on these initiatives and help the smaller countries save precious lives. 

Third, Himalayan countries should form a Climate Justice Fund to help with loss and damage in case of climate disasters. This fund should be open to countries willing to contribute. The Himalayan Climate Justice Fund should also allow regional and global companies to contribute to the fund, and in return receive the tradable carbon credits in the markets of all contributing countries. 

A Disaster Response Task Force 

Fourth, there is a need to have a multilateral disaster response task force so that the countries can respond quickly and efficiently in case of a disaster. For better coordination, the Himalayan countries should let their national disaster agencies have joint exercises and drills. This will help in the development of SOPs for coordination. During the 2015 earthquake rescue operations in Nepal, customs delayed the relief material. Having a multilateral task force can help expedite the process by reducing delays and by routing the aid and relief material through the task force agency. A disaster response task force like this will also build trust among the countries and people and prepare them to adapt to climate disasters.  

Need for Himalayan Mission

There should be consistent efforts from the Himalayan countries to carry out institutionalised cross-border SOPs, mock drills, and joint disaster task force exercises, as in the recent floods, when NDRF-Nepal and India worked together to rescue workers trapped in tunnels. Chinese forces also helped them to rescue missing bodies in the Nepal-Tibet border. Hence, disaster diplomacy in this region should adopt a multi-track and multi-stakeholder approach.

These initiatives in the region will help countries align their actions and policies to mitigate risks and prepare for disasters. It is the responsibility of nations that contribute more to climate change to take the lead in helping small states prepare for the climate-induced disasters. The small states should not suffer the consequences of something they did not help bring. Though the climate-related disasters need a global coalition, it is important that Asia, especially the Himalayan states, come together to mitigate the risks.

(Ammu S. Anil is a Visiting Fellow at NIICE Nepal and a Senior Research Fellow in the MMAJ Academy of International Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. She is also a Research Fellow in the Earth Science Governance Project, Uppsala University, Sweden. Krishnaveer Singh Chahar is a PhD scholar at MMAJ Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia and a Huayu Scholarship awardee for 2026-27 at Sun Yat-sen College, Taiwan.The views expressed are personal. They can be contacted at ammu2205862@st.jmi.ac.in, ammuanil1720@gmail.com, Krrishsingh98@gmail.com)