'We did not cause the flash floods'; Nepal seeks climate compensation from India, China and US

KATHMANDU: Nepal has sought climate-related compensation from India, China and the United States following the devastating flash floods that hit the country. Nepal said the demand was based on the three countries being among the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters.

Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said that assistance provided after the flood disaster should not be viewed as an act of charity, but as a moral and legal responsibility of developed countries. He made the remarks in an interview with Kantipur TV. Khanal said that although Nepal contributes very little to global greenhouse gas emissions, it is among the countries suffering some of the worst effects of global warming.

"We are paying the highest price for a global crisis that we did not create. The rapid melting of glaciers and floods in the Himalayan region are consequences of global climate change. Nepal is shifting its diplomatic approach from 'aid' to 'justice and compensation'. This is not about charity. It is about a legal and moral responsibility," Khanal said.

He pointed out that China is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, followed by the United States and India. According to Khanal, these countries have a historical responsibility to compensate vulnerable nations such as Nepal.

"If Himalayan glaciers disappear, the water security of more than 2 billion people who depend on rivers such as the Ganga and Trishuli in South Asia will be at risk. This could affect the very survival of South Asian civilisation," he said.

The flash floods in Nepal occurred following massive avalanches and glacier collapses in the high-altitude areas along the Tibet-Nepal border. The death toll has crossed 1,100, while unofficial figures put the number of bodies recovered at 1,125. Around 4,500 people are still reported missing.