Nepal Seeks $5 Billion UN Climate Aid After Glacial Flooding
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 31
Nepal Seeks $5 Billion UN Climate Aid After Glacial Flooding
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 31
Summary
$5 billion is Nepal’s estimate for recovery from last week’s glacial collapse and flooding, and it has asked the U.N.’s climate-disaster fund for urgent support.
Maheshwar Dhakal, Nepal’s climate chief, said human-caused warming contributed to the disaster and argued that low-emitting countries are bearing damage driven by richer nations’ emissions.
The appeal lands as the fund remains underpowered: it has only $820 million in pledges, is preparing its first payouts, and has already received requests from at least 119 countries totaling $2.8 billion.
U.S. support has also weakened the pool—Washington pledged $17.5 million under Joe Biden but withdrew from the fund under Donald Trump—highlighting the financing gap facing vulnerable countries.