When U.S. President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change on January 20, 2025, the global climate agenda suffered a major setback. Just two days later, Nepal’s government decided to revive the prestigious Sagarmatha Sambad, also known as the “Everest Dialogue,” now set for May 16-18,2025.
The platform is intended to address climate change, climate justice, and their associated impacts. Although delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative remain central to Nepal’s evolving climate diplomacy.
Nepal’s climate vulnerability shapes its climate goals and strategies, with the Sagarmatha Sambad as a rising symbol of Himalayan climate diplomacy.
The Climate Vulnerability of Nepal
Nepal, located in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, is home to eight of the world’s highest peaks including Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth. Nepal harbors a rich biodiversity, including rare and endangered species. Yet this Himalayan nation is scared of climate induced disasters – and rightfully so.
Geographically, 68 percent of the country’s area consists of the Hilly region (essentially the foothills of the Himalayas), and another 15 percent is the Himalayan Region. In other words, a total of 83 percent of Nepal’s land area is marked by mountainous terrain. The Hilly and Himalayan regions have a combined population of over 13 million people – just under 45 percent of Nepal’s total population of 29 million.
Only 17 percent of Nepal’s land area consists of the fertile Terai region, which are vital to the nation’s agriculture and economy.
Given its geography, Nepal is heavily affected by natural disasters every year. As a country already prone to earthquakes, Nepal is also facing a compounding risk of climate disasters that far outweigh its global emissions contribution.
Nepal consistently ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. According to Germanwatch’s Climate Risk Index, it was ranked 10th in 2021, although that dropped to 78th in 2025. On average, Nepal loses around 250 lives and $221 million in economic damage annually due to climate-induced disasters, which affect over 75,000 people a year.
In October 2024, Nepal experienced devastating floods and landslides, which claimed over 245 lives, with 18 still missing. The disasters also caused widespread economic damage.
Nepal’s Climate Goals and Strategies
Despite contributing just 0.027 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Nepal is on the frontline of climate impacts. With the impact of climate disaster plain to see, Nepal has shown ambition in tackling climate change.
In 2021, Nepal submitted its Long-Term Strategy (LTS) for net-zero emissions, targeting carbon neutrality by 2045 and full net-zero status by 2050. Its Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), submitted in 2020, outlined short-term goals for 2025 and the mid-term term goals for 2025-2030, which includes various points such as expanding renewable energy generation, promoting the use of electric vehicles and electric stoves, and maintaining at least 45 percent forest cover by 2030. This last goal has been met, as Nepal has already achieved 45.31 percent forest cover.
However, many of these targets hinge on international financial and technical support. Achieving the NDC target is projected to cost $28.4 billion, which is a daunting sum for Nepal given its GDP of $40.9 billion. With that in mind, the Sagarmatha Sambad offers a diplomatic platform for Nepal to engage international partners, attract green investments, and build coalitions with like-minded countries.
At COP26, Nepal reiterated its target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2045. In contrast, its neighboring giants, China and India – which are two of the world’s top emitters – have pledged to reach net-zero only by 2060 and 2070, respectively.
Climate risk is a regional crisis in South Asia. As per International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) data, glaciers in the Hindu Kush Region, which is also known as the world’s “Third Pole,” are melting at an alarming rate, disappearing 65 percent faster in 2011-2020. Those glaciers provide freshwater to billions of people and are crucial for agriculture across South Asia.
The time to act is now, and Nepal wants to lead in the climate sector with support from neighbors like India, Pakistan, and Bhutan, as well as regional platforms from SAARC to BIMSTEC.
Sagarmatha Sambad and Nepal’s Climate Diplomacy
In December 2009, Nepal’s prime minister held a historic Cabinet meeting at Kalapattar, close to the Everest Base Camp, which was the highest-altitude political gathering in history. This meeting shone a spotlight on the severe effect of climate change on the Himalayas and concluded with the adoption of the “ Everest Declaration,” a 10-point pledge urging immediate global action.
This was the Nepali government’s first move to make the world acknowledge that glaciers are melting and that the Himalayas are being converted into “kalapatthar,” meaning “black rock.”
The U.N. secretary general’s 2023 visit to Nepal, including to the Annapurna Base Camp, further amplified global attention on Nepal’s climate struggles. He emphasized the impact of melting glaciers and extreme weather events, and urged developed nations to increase their financial and technological support to vulnerable countries like Nepal. This was a huge diplomatic victory for the Nepali government’s climate diplomacy.
In December 2024, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba addressed the International Court of Justice during its advisory proceedings on the obligation of states in respect to climate change. Noting that Nepal’s glaciers and mountain snow were melting, she stated, “We are having to bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change in a disproportionate manner. In fact, we are paying for a bad ‘karma’ we did not create. We have been penalized for the mistakes we never made, for the crimes we never committed.”
Despite its minimal emissions, Nepal faces disproportionate consequences. Now, budget cuts to USAID climate programs under the Trump administration are hurting Nepal’s efforts, highlighting the need for sustainable, multilateral support on climate change mitigation.
The United Nations has declared 2025 as the “International Year of the Glacier,” and the Nepali government is seeking support from international organizations and partners. Through the upcoming Sagarmatha Sambad – Sagarmatha is the Nepali name for Mount Everest – Nepal aims to call for action to protect glaciers.
The Sagarmatha Sambad, scheduled for May 16-18, is modeled on and inspired by leading global forums like the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. With its focus on climate justice and resilience, the Sambad offers Nepal a vital diplomatic channel to shape global conversations and galvanize action.