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Nepal is set to send a significantly smaller team to 30th UN Climate Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. The conference will be held from Nov 10 this year. Environment Secretary Rajendra Prasad Mishra told ApEx that negotiations are ongoing to decide the representatives.

The decision comes in line with the Sept 21 Cabinet meeting, led by interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, to curb non-essential overseas travel and limit official delegations. To cut government expenses, the government has capped heads of state or government-led delegations at 10 members and limited other government-sponsored teams to only three members.

The choice also shows Nepal’s political instability following the abrupt political change brought about by the GenZ protests that led to the fall of the KP Oli government. The new government is now tasked with rebuilding scores of government buildings, as well as fixing the infrastructure damaged in recent floods and landslides.

When Nepal first started going to UN climate talks in 1995, it had just two delegates, while the United Kingdom and United States had 19 and 27 respectively. Its delegations expanded incrementally over the years. Sixty-nine delegates attended COP26 in Glasgow and, at COP20 in Lima, the government was reprimanded for sending a ‘jumbo delegation’ on limited resources.

A 2024 ApEx report revealed that Nepal’s delegation missed 68 out of the 392 sessions at COP29 because of overworked negotiators. Organizational shortcomings aside, Nepal has used the COPs to lead mountains and climate justice causes. At COP29 in Baku, Nepal sent its high-level team led by President Ramchandra Paudel, where Nepal emphasized mobilizing climate finance, protecting mountain habitats, and triggering the Loss and Damage Fund.

The delegation also pushed for an annual financing target of $1.3trn for developing countries, gave highest priority to mountain‑specific risk exposures, and made appeals for finance for adaptation and technology transfer. President Paudel called for the reallocation of military expenditures to climate efforts, made calls for grants‑based climate finance and the polluter‑pays principle, and asserted that saving the Himalayas is saving the planet.

Nepal also organized a ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’ dialogue on mountain resilience in May this year.

Analysts note that although the agendas of Nepal have become more expansive, its bargaining power has not increased. The new ‘small’ negotiation team may therefore push the government to concentrate on core issues such as climate finance, adaptation and mountain conservation and eliminate ceremonial or non‑technical members.

Meanwhile, Brazil’s hosting of COP30 in the city of Belém in the Amazon region has created an accommodation crisis. Reuters reports that Belém hotel rates have risen between $150 and $4,400 a night, and some developing nations could not secure a room.

Latvia climate minister Kaspars Melnis said that the expense is prohibitive and that his nation is considering whether to attend via video link. Lithuania has even talked about boycotting the summit on the same grounds, and the Alliance of Small Island States is concerned that reducing delegations will result in priceless expertise being lost.

African delegates have told Reuters that they have been quoted $700 a night, a far higher sum than the UN daily allowance. In response, the UN International Civil Service Commission has increased the subsistence daily allowance for 144 developing countries from $144 to $197. Brazil has offered restricted available rooms up to $220 a day for developing countries, but with only approximately 18,000 hotel beds for an estimated 45,000 participants, demand outstrips supply.

The cost crisis provoked a wider backlash. During an emergency session in July, the UN climate office listened to complaints from the African group and others. The group chairperson, Richard Muyungi, told Reuters that poor nations cannot cut delegations and make themselves heard. Nevertheless, some wealthier EU states, like the Netherlands and Poland, have said that they might halve or drastically reduce their delegations, with Polish officials warning that they might cut the delegation to the bone or stay away altogether.

With Nepal looking at its COP30 participation, it must juggle local austerity, global cost pressures and the imperative of good representation. An experienced-officer austerity-cut delegation aligns with former Environment Secretary Deepak Kumar Kharal’s proposal of a full-time negotiation team but risks Nepal’s voice in a platform where the more, the merrier is the motto.

Large rates of accommodation in Belém and Nepal’s internal budget crisis also put additional constraints. The ability of the interim government to balance these competing pressures will make or break Nepal’s climate diplomacy and its ability to attract financial and technical aid for its poor hill communities.

Less than a month after the formation of the new government, the private sector has hailed five major initiatives announced by the Ministry of Finance as crucial steps toward fostering greater transparency, economic reform, and business optimism. Presidents of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Nepalese Industries and Nepal Chamber of Commerce praised the government’s recent moves to push businesses ahead and re-boost private sector morale during a meeting with Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal on Monday.

The five big initiatives of the government are tax relief for reconstruction, initiation of banking facilities to ease financial access to reconstruction and trade activities, and streamlining of insurance procedures. Likewise, abolishing the system of reference values at customs, long desired by the traders, and introducing an online customs database system were hailed as great reforms to make the system transparent and accountable. The new digital platform, according to the Ministry of Finance, will monitor the prices of cleared goods, facilitating analysis and comparison of customs statistics and preventing irregularities.

Finance Minister Khanal indicated that the government was gradually involved in strengthening the morale of the private sector and establishing an environment conducive to business. FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal, CNI President Birendra Raj Pandey, and NCC President Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal expressed gratitude for the reforms and urged the entrepreneurs to utilize the new database system appropriately. The system, launched by Minister Khanal on Sept 25, is going to refresh its reference catalog every six months and clear the grievances of traders through regular updates.

Private sector representatives also presented strong criticisms against acts of vandalism, looting, and arson in recent times in the youth-led GenZ movement, which allegedly were directed toward the business community. They added that infiltration in the movement had led to targeting of private companies, highly discouraging an industry that has a contribution of 81 percent to Nepal’s economy and 86 percent to national employment. They called on the government to act swiftly and prosecute the perpetrators in the courts, warning that doing nothing would further discourage businesspeople.

Minister Khanal assured the delegation that the government was firm in defending the private sector and respecting the rule of law. The entrepreneurs, once again espousing their policy of “zero tolerance toward corruption,” invited the government to create space for entrepreneurs to operate freely and responsibly. They also noted that even if holding elections is critical for the government in the short run, it cannot afford to let go of the opportunity to establish pillars for sustainable economic reforms.

Moreover, the private sector leaders suggested calling for a multilateral finance conference to be led by them in order to draw in investment and instill confidence among all actors. They also confirmed willingness to collaborate with the government on the conduct of timely elections, averring that democracy and an open market system can only thrive through regular electoral processes.

According to the Constitution, Nepal is a federal parliamentary republic, where the Prime Minister with executive powers is elected through the parliament. However, due to frequent changes in government in recent years, this system has seen many problems, including political instability. Meanwhile, some individuals and groups are demanding a directly-elected Prime Minister. This article seeks to analyze positive and negative effects of this system as well as the challenges of the current parliamentary democracy.

Challenges of parliamentary democracy

One of the most persistent challenges in Nepal’s parliamentary model is the frequent change of governments, which often interrupts long-term development projects. For example, in the pursuit of power, political actors often form fragile coalitions that collapse quickly, while recurring corruption scandals further weaken public trust and spark protests on the streets.

Lack of political culture is another challenge. Leaders obsessed with their own interests do not put the people first. Problems such as corruption, protectionism and nepotism have weakened the effectiveness of democracy. And an increase in economic uncertainty invariably makes foreign elements more active in fragile polities like ours. 

In addition, there are social problems linked to human rights, such as gender-based violence, child marriage and bonded labor. The voices of minority groups such as women, Dalits, people with disabilities and sexual and gender minorities remain unheard. Even two decades after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended a decade-long war, transitional justice works remain incomplete. All of these factors are challenging Nepal’s democracy.

A directly-elected PM

The current constitution provides for the prime minister to be elected through the parliament. However, some new political forces such as the Rastriya Swatantra Party have proposed a directly-elected prime minister. The GenZ movement has also raised the demand for a term limit and a system of direct elections for the prime minister. This change would require a constitutional amendment needing a two-thirds majority in the parliament. The current interim prime minister, Sushila Karki, has stated that she does not have the mandate to effect this change in the constitution.

Positive effects

The system of a directly-elected prime minister can bring political stability as chances of the government serving a full term are higher. It provides continuity to national development works and supports economic and social progress. Since the elected leader depends on a broader support of the people, this system protects the country from extreme left or right-wing ideologies by encouraging centrist policies. A directly-elected Prime Minister is free from parliamentary wranglings, so s/he can become a strong executive by taking decisions quickly and effectively.

The contemporary history of South Asia and Europe offer successful examples of this type of system. In Sri Lanka, for example, the president is directly elected and holds executive powers. Following the end of the civil war in 2009, the South Asian country, under the strong leadership of Mahinda Rajapaksa, made temporary gains in sectors such as tourism and infrastructure. 

France’s semi-presidential system illustrates how a directly-elected president can drive reforms, as seen under Emmanuel Macron’s leadership with labor and EU policy changes. Macron maintained political stability and responded effectively to the covid pandemic. These examples show that direct elections provide leadership with popular support and make it easier to implement long-term policies. There are also successful examples of prime ministers elected through the parliament. Under Narendra Modi, India achieved economic growth from 2014 to 2024, including GST reforms and Digital India, making the country the fifth largest global economy. In Europe, the UK’s parliamentary system has long provided stability. The Tony Blair government, for example, brought economic prosperity by improving education and health. These successes clearly show that parliamentary systems can take balanced decisions by incorporating diverse views.

Negative effects

This system is not a panacea. Conflicts between the president and the prime minister can increase under this system, thereby deepening instability. Currently, there is a problem regarding the executive authority of caretaker Prime Minister Sushila Karki, who came to power (not through the usual parliamentary process) following a youths-led movement that toppled an elected government, and President Ramchandra Paudel, who remains as the head of the state and the enforcer as well as the protector of the constitution. Limiting the powers of PM Karki, President Paudel has tasked the current government with a singular mandate: conducting elections in six months. 

In this context, it may be worthwhile to revisit the interim government under Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, which took shape after the people's movement of 1990. With full support from King Birendra, the government successfully conducted parliamentary elections and also introduced a constitution within a year. 

Whereas PM Karki has not received such support from President Paudel, meaning holding elections within the deadline will be easier said than done. This situation gives an ample indication of problems that directly-elected PMs may have to face if Nepal opts for such a system. 

At least 52 people have been killed and several remain missing due to landslides and floods caused by torrential rains on Oct 4 and 5. The highest number of casualties has been reported in Koshi Province, with 37 deaths in Ilam district alone due to landslides triggered by the heavy rainfall.

From Sunday, there are no risks of heavy to very heavy rainfall, although light to moderate showers are still likely in some parts of the country. On Friday and Saturday, Bagmati and Madhes Provinces were particularly hard hit by the torrential rains.

Several highways that were blocked by landslides have been partially reopened. The BP Highway, which had only recently been repaired after massive damage in last year’s floods, has been damaged again. It is expected to take 3–4 days to fully restore access along the BP Highway.

The interim government led by Sushila Karki has been credited with better preparations for relief and rescue operations. Private airlines have been operating charter flights to assist passengers stranded in major cities. 

Ministers were reportedly concerned that poor handling of the crisis could lead to public criticism, especially since the government was formed only three weeks ago. Last year, former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli lost public support due to inadequate response to the floods and landslides that severely affected central Kathmandu.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the disaster, stating: The loss of lives and damage caused by heavy rains in Nepal is distressing. We stand with the people and Government of Nepal in this difficult time. As a friendly neighbor and first responder, India remains committed to providing any assistance that may be required.”

However, the Nepal government has not yet sought international assistance. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has instructed relevant agencies to collect and submit preliminary damage assessments, including the number of people affected and details of the impacted areas.

District administration offices have been directed to provide relief to the families of the deceased and arrange free treatment for the injured.

Due to ongoing heavy rains, the Saptakoshi River has reached its highest recorded water level, crossing the extremely high danger mark. As a result, all 56 gates of the Koshi Barrage have been opened. The government has announced that it will provide Rs 200,000 in relief to the families of those who died due to floods and landslides.

With the Dashain festival drawing to a close, political parties are set to resume their activities. The CPN-UML is preparing to hold its Central Committee meeting to discuss party leadership and its future political direction.

Before that, the party will convene a meeting of its 18-member Secretariat. Pressure is mounting on PM KP Sharma Oli to step down as party chair, but he remains reluctant.

The CPN (Maoist Center) has begun preparations for its general convention, having already dissolved its Central Committee to form a Convention Organizing Committee. 

The Maoist party was also the first to engage with the GenZ protests. Prime Minister Sushila Karki recently held an extended consultation with representatives from the GenZ protest movement, with 25 representatives from five different groups in attendance. As various GenZ factions are emerging with differing political demands, the PM aimed to gather diverse views to find common ground and potentially bring all groups under one platform.

Some GenZ protesters are advocating for constitutional amendments to introduce a directly elected Prime Minister, while others want to retain the current parliamentary system. 

In her national address, PM Karki clarified that constitutional amendments fall outside the jurisdiction of her interim government. Additionally, some GenZ groups are calling for the removal of the Chief Justice and other justices of the Supreme Court, intensifying political pressure on the judiciary.

It has been revealed that on Sept 9, the Nepali Army warned President Ramchandra Paudel and senior leaders of major political parties to reach a decision regarding government formation by that night. According to a report published by Janastha newspaper, Army Chief Ashok Sigdel reportedly told the leaders: “The movement will intensify after the army takes over the power. Once power is taken, the army will not return until everything is in order. It will be difficult to retreat.” The army chief reportedly said: “In that case, you must decide on your own. Create an environment for forming the government immediately.” Citing sources, the report says the Army submitted two proposals to the President: Permission to declare a state of emergency, and formation of a consensus government among major political parties and protest groups.