Nepal’s Environment Minister Shahi Urges Global Action on Climate Change at UK Roundtable

Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri has urged the global community to address the escalating impacts of climate change, emphasizing the challenges faced by Nepal and other vulnerable nations.

Currently in London, Minister Shahi is attending the Ministerial Roundtable on Tackling Water Security across the Climate-Nature-Development Nexus, organized by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). On Thursday, he participated in a Water and Climate Reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by King Charles III.

During the roundtable discussion, Minister Shahi presented Nepal’s approaches to water security and climate adaptation, highlighting the severe threats posed to Nepal’s ecosystems and livelihoods due to climate change. The event gathered ministers from multiple climate-affected nations, along with representatives from major global institutions, including the World Bank, UNEP, UNICEF, IFAD, and the Global Commission on the Economics of Water.

The minister also introduced the ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’ (Everest Dialogue), a multistakeholder global forum initiated by the Nepal government to facilitate discussions on climate change, mountains, and the future of humanity. The first edition is scheduled to take place from May 16 to 18, 2025, in Kathmandu.

As part of Nepal’s diplomatic engagement, Minister Shahi officially invited Baroness Chapman, Minister of State for International Development, Latin America, and the Caribbean at the FCDO, as well as Ruth Davis, the UK’s Special Representative for Nature, to attend the Sagarmatha Sambaad.

Minister Shahi was accompanied by Nepal’s Ambassador to the UK, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, and will also engage with the Nepali diaspora in London before returning to Kathmandu on March 15.