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Former Minister of International Development and Minister of Environment of Norway, Erik Solheim, attended the inaugural edition of Sagarmatha Sambaad at the invitation of the Nepal government. A seasoned diplomat, Solheim has also served as the under-secretary-general of the United Nations and the executive director of the United Nations Environment Program. Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Pratik Ghimire of ApEx interviewed him about climate change impacts in the Himalayas. Excerpts:

What drew you to Sagarmatha Sambaad?

I was invited by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. I met him a few months back and he said we are finally making the summit happen. The event had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. So, the prime minister was very eager, and I said, yes, for sure I want to come. And the main reason is of course that the melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas, which is of enormous importance to the world. These glaciers are feeding all the major rivers. Ganga, Brahmaputra, the Mekong, the Indus, they are all fed by the melting of the Himalayas. And the impact, if this is disturbed, will be enormous. If you take India, China and Pakistan, there are maybe 2bn people living in this region. So, this is one of the most important environmental issues in the world, and it’s very good that Nepal is taking the lead to put this issue on the agenda.

Do you think that this kind of summit could help shape the global perspective, or global discourse on climate change and sustainability?

One summit of course will not change everything in the world. But if you sustain the topic, have more summits, and really bring it into the different global processes, I think it will have a massive impact. Because this is also the third pole. You have the north pole where we live in Norway, you have the south pole in Antarctica, and this is the third pole, with all the ice and snow in the Himalayas. So, to get that perspective out to the world, I think this summit was very important.

Can this kind of event be a common voice for mountainous regions and mountainous countries? 

Absolutely, because the issues are the same. Of course, the Himalayas is the number one mountain region in the world, but I’ve been many times to, say, Bolivia in the Andes. In Bolivia, you see skiing tracks, which were built at a time when there was snow to bring tourists. Now, the skiing tracks have no snow. They are just standing there with no use. So, the issues are the same in the Andes, in the Alps, and in many other mountain ranges. But the Himalayas is the most important, the biggest amount of snow, the highest number of people being impacted. 

As a former UN Environment chief, you have been in many kinds of climate dialogues. Do you think these kinds of dialogues really help in real world climate actions?

It works only if you can trigger action, and the government can set the direction for action. But you also need business and civil society groups and others to act. What I think is very important is not just to see climate change as a problem, but also as an opportunity for innovation and economic growth. One example is, of course, now over 70 percent of cars in Kathmandu or Nepal are electric. Well, that’s very good for fighting climate change. But it’s also very good for the people here. These cars are more modern, better, higher quality, more tech. They will reduce pollution. Kathmandu is in a valley, as you know very well that you don’t have a lot of wind to remove pollution. It will stay on. So it makes sense to embrace electric vehicles. Nepal is now next to Norway, with the world's most electric cars. Sure, there is China, but China is so big. So in terms of percentages, Nepal is really leading the world. Again, looking for what’s beneficial, both economically and for the environment, electric cars are much cheaper because you spend less money.

Are you really hopeful about the direction the world is heading in terms of climate action?

I think the world is heading in the right direction, but not mainly because of the diplomatic talks, but mainly because of the action of business. Look, China last year added 300 gigawatts of solar energy to the grid. That is 100 times Nepal's entire hydro power grid. So this is enormous. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi just launched a scheme for 10m rooftops with solar. Again, that’s huge. And China and India both have understood that climate and environment is not just a problem, but also an opportunity. Now most electric cars in the world are Chinese. This benefits the Chinese economy and environment. It’s the same thing in India. With Modi launching the solar industry in India, it benefits the economy and environment.

What adaptation strategies would you recommend for vulnerable and mountainous countries like Nepal?

Number one, going big on renewables. Hydropower is already big, but there’s a huge potential for more hydropower in Nepal, and that’s also a potential for huge export earnings if you sell it to India. Going big on solar, and then doing even better to protect nature, can also bring economic opportunities. I know that there are disputes in Nepal about the number of tigers, but Nepal has doubled the number of tigers. That can be turned into a draw for tourists, because tourists really want to come and see tigers. You get good jobs while protecting nature at the same time.

We have often heard you talking about green growth. How can developing nations like Nepal grow their economies without repeating the environmental mistakes of the already developed or industrial countries?

The main issue is to understand that renewables are now the cheapest anywhere in the world. In the past, every nation that wanted to grow its economy depended on coal energy. It started in the United Kingdom and spread to Germany, to the United States, to Japan, to China. But now if you switch from coal to solar, you save money. Solar is cheaper. That means a new development path is possible. So for Nepal to really root its economic development in electric vehicles, solar panels, hydropower, that will make a very different pathway forward. Less polluting, but also cheaper and better.

Nepali leaders frequently say that the international community is not paying attention to the impact of climate change on Nepal’s Himalayas. This is one reason the Nepal government organized Sagarmatha Sambaad. Do you agree with this claim?

I think the prime minister and other leaders are right that the support from the international community hasn’t been sufficient. And I think Nepal is very right to put this much more front and center by organizing the Sagarmatha Sambaad.

What are your suggestions for Nepal so that the international community could hear this issue? 

It should organize more events in other parts of the world. We have the climate talks in Belém, Brazil. We have the UN General Assembly. We have Davos, the World Economic Forum. We have dialogues in neighboring countries. We have the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi. We have the Boa Forum in China. These are major events where lots of people are coming together. And the Nepal government, with its Indian, Chinese and European partners, could organize many more events putting Nepal and the Himalayas at the center.

The Nepal government had expected for heads of state and government to join the dialogue, but that didn’t happen. What could be the reasons?

Well, I think right now, many leaders are focused on other issues. Chinese President Xi Jinping, for example, is focused on trade and conflict issues with the United States. Prime Minister Modi has, of course, been very focused on the conflict with Pakistan. But the very high level, I mean, the Minister of Environment came from Delhi. A Central Committee member of the Chinese Communist Party did attend the dialogue. Certainly, it will be good to attract even more high level representatives in the future, and I’m sure that can happen. 

Since Nepal and Norway are long-time partners, how do you see the current status of these countries’ collaboration on environmental and climate issues?

Norway has supported a number of climate activities in Nepal. A very obvious area is hydropower, because Norway is a big hydropower nation, and so is Nepal. So to look into all opportunities to engage Norwegian companies in sharing the best practice or investing in hydropower in Nepal I think would be a huge, huge opportunity. But there are also others. Hydropower is the biggest opportunity, because Norway has much less. Besides that, anything related to tourism. Nepal has huge tourism potential. I mean, all it has is tourists, but it can get more. So finding ways of getting more value from the tourists, charging them more so you get more and more value, but also, of course, organizing tourism in such a way that it has the least impact on nature.

China CAMC Engineering, the contractor for the Pokhara Regional International Airport, has strongly rejected a report by a subcommittee of Nepal’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which alleges significant irregularities in the airport’s construction. The Chinese state-owned enterprise criticized the report for being riddled with factual inaccuracies and lacking professional, objective analysis of the project’s implementation.

Calling the report profoundly shocking and gravely concerning, the company stated: “As a professional and responsible international engineering contractor, we strictly complied with all legal and regulatory requirements of the Nepal government throughout the bidding, contracting, and implementation phases.”

The PAC subcommittee, chaired by Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Lingden, concluded that irregularities and corruption worth approximately Rs 10bn occurred during the airport's construction. The draft report outlines discrepancies across 11 categories. Several subcommittee members have signed the draft, which is now being circulated among lawmakers for review.

The alleged irregularities in the airport construction could be among the largest corruption scandals in Nepal’s history. According to the subcommittee, the cost of the airport—originally estimated at
Rs 14bn—was suspiciously inflated to Rs 22bn. The report alleges widespread malpractice affecting nearly all aspects of the project, raising serious concerns about quality control and regulatory compliance. It also highlights violations of the original contract terms, particularly regarding tax exemptions. The report states that a new implementation agreement enabled repeated tax waivers totaling Rs 2.22bn, which it describes as “deliberate financial misconduct,” resulting in significant revenue loss for the state.

Reacting to CAMC’s rebuttal, a member of the subcommittee expressed concern over the company’s statement and said the committee would respond formally after internal deliberations.

Despite the controversy,  CAMC said the airport is Nepal’s most modern international airport. The company added that the airport has operated stably for 28 consecutive months, with passenger traffic reaching 904,771 in 2023 and 989,852 in 2024—both exceeding its designed annual capacity of 800,000 passengers. It has also urged the Nepali authorities to investigate the unauthorized disclosure of the report, correct its alleged inaccuracies, and restore the truth.

Pokhara International Airport was inaugurated on 1 Jan 2023, amid considerable fanfare. Though the project predates Nepal’s entry into China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China later included it within the BRI framework, erupting a diplomatic brouhaha between Nepal and China. The airport was constructed under a soft loan from China, but it is currently failing to generate enough revenue to repay the loan.

The airport faces an annual interest payment of $3.2m. Officials say it would need to generate at least Rs 1.5bn annually just to sustain operations. Even if operated at full capacity, the income would likely be insufficient to cover both operating costs and loan repayments. Some economists argue no proper homework was done to assess the operational side of the airport.

In 2014, Luo Yan, chairman of the China CAMC Engineering Co Ltd, and Ratish Chandra Lal Suman,  director-general of CAAN, had signed a contract worth $215.96m for the construction of the airport.  On 21 March 2016, China Exim Bank and the Government of Nepal signed a government concessional loan (GCL) agreement worth RMB 1.37bn for the project development.

According to AidData, a Washington DC-based research lab, 25 percent of this loan (RMB 355.9m) was interest-free, with a 20-year maturity and a seven-year grace period. The remaining 75 percent (RMB 1.02bn) carried a two percent interest rate, with the same maturity and grace terms. The AidData report also notes that Nepal on-lent the loan proceeds to CAAN through a Subsidiary Loan Agreement finalized on 5 June 2016 at a five percent interest rate, with identical repayment terms.

When I lived in Malekhu—a small town in Nepal famous for its fish—I often saw Indian buses stop near a wild-looking tree. Men would get off, snap off stems, and drive away. I found it odd. Curious, I asked a local elder, Barakoti Krishna Mama. He chuckled, “Even goats won’t eat that grass. Indians use it as a traveling toothbrush.”

I forgot about it. Years later, in the UK, I opened a packet of curry leaves. The smell hit me hard. It was sharp, familiar, nostalgic. I couldn’t place it. The memory tugged at me for years.

Then, during a jungle safari in Sauraha, I saw the same plant from Malekhu. I crushed a leaf in my hand and there it was: That same unforgettable smell. This wasn’t just any plant. It was curry leaf—something I once overlooked, now the hero of my kitchen abroad.

What shocked me even more was that wild organic curry leaves in the UK sell for up to £800 a kilo. This leaf, dismissed back home, is a premium herb abroad. I’ve used it in Qatar during FIFA 2022, and even while cooking for the Ambani family in Las Vegas. And every time, it took me back to Nepal.

Now, I store curry leaves in every form—fresh, dried, frozen, powdered. It’s my favorite spice. Not native to Nepal, perhaps, but deeply tied to my story. And I believe it’s time Nepal recognises this forgotten gem. 

What are curry leaves?

Curry leaves come from the Murraya koenigii tree, native to South Asia. The leaves are glossy, deep green, and aromatic. They are not related to curry powder, but they bring a distinct, citrusy flavor to food. In many Indian and Sri Lankan dishes, they are essential—especially for a process called tadka, where spices are briefly fried in oil to release flavor.

In Ayurveda, curry leaves are praised for healing benefits, from easing digestion to managing diabetes and improving hair health. Communities in southern India even plant them near temples, believing in their purifying powers.

Science now confirms what traditional healers long knew. Curry leaves can control blood sugar, help digestion, reduce hair fall, protect the liver, fight infections, lower cholesterol and aid in weight loss. This little leaf is a health powerhouse.

Strangely, the plant grows wild in parts of Nepal but nobody pays attention. We ignore what other countries pay high prices to import. There’s no system in Nepal to cultivate, process, or sell this plant. But the demand is real.

Nepal could export curry leaves in different forms: fresh, dried, powdered, or even freeze-dried. We already do this for timur (Sichuan pepper) and cardamom. Why not the curry leaf too?

Curry leaves are gaining attention in organic markets, gourmet kitchens, and even beauty products. Chefs use them in fusion dishes. Health lovers drink curry leaf tea. Cosmetic companies experiment with curry leaf oil.

It’s not just a spice. It’s a functional ingredient, one with a story and value.

In many Nepali homes, curry leaves are already used in cooking. Known locally as ‘meetho neem,’ this plant adds flavor to dals, curries, and pickles. But we don’t often grow it ourselves.

What if every household had one curry leaf tree? It’s simple, affordable, and powerful.

The tree is hardy and evergreen. It thrives in warm climates. It grows in pots, backyards, and fields. You can grow it from seeds or cuttings. It needs sunlight, compost-rich soil, and a little care. One tree can provide all the leaves a family needs and more.

I’ve traveled the world carrying my spice kit, especially fried curry leaves. In Mexico, during a Formula One race, I ran out. I called the Indian Embassy. To my surprise, a kind man invited me to his home to pick some. That’s the power of shared food traditions.

In Nepal, we could take this further. Encourage every family to grow a tree. In villages, urban homes, schoolyards. Teach how to grow it. Use it in food and medicine. Dry it. Sell it.

On a bigger scale, the tree grows well in farms too. Space them out one and a half to two meters. Use compost. Harvest leaves every few months. One mature tree gives one to two kilos a year.

It can be a good source of income. Farmers could supply local markets, or export dried or powdered leaves.

Curry leaves clean the air. Their roots prevent soil erosion. Bees love them. They don’t need much water. They cool the surroundings. Growing more of them helps the environment. Medicinally, they support the liver, aid digestion, reduce fat, and boost immunity. They’re rich in iron and vitamin A, good for eyes and blood.

Nepal can lead this, but others can follow. From the southern USA to Israel, curry leaf trees can grow in many climates. They can be grown in gardens, on balconies, or using new techniques like hydroponics.

We need awareness. Schools and communities could distribute grow kits. Chefs can promote the leaf in recipes. Governments and NGOs can support it with training and small grants.

Even small entrepreneurs can build businesses making dried leaves, curry leaf teas, oils, or extracts.

To me, curry leaves are more than just a flavor. They are memory, identity, and health. From the roadside of Malekhu to kitchens in Qatar and Mexico, they’ve been part of my journey.

It’s time we give this leaf the respect it deserves. Let’s stop calling it grass. And let’s plant one tree in every home. Because with every leaf we grow, we bring back something valuable—to our plates, to our health, and to Mother Earth.

The author is a London-based R&D chef

One-year-old Sabin Mahat (name changed) was taken to a local eye hospital when his mother noticed a white glow in his right eye which was more prominent in the evening time. He was immediately referred to Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology where he was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer that starts in the retina.

Retinoblastoma represents three percent of all childhood cancers in the world, and is the most common intraocular malignancy in children below five years of age. It is 99 percent fatal if left untreated. Early detection and prompt treatment can save life and eye. Worldwide prevalence is 1:15000 to 1:20000 live births. Exact prevalence in Nepal is not known but a recent survey done in multiple hospital records suggests that around 50 new cases are detected in Nepal each year. Among them, the Ocular oncology department of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO) sees 35 to 45 new cases per year with around 15 of them having bilateral diseases. 

Treatment for Retinoblastoma is long (takes about two years to five years depending on the laterality and severity of disease), expensive and psychologically challenging to the parents and children. Stage one and two diseases require at least six months of systemic chemotherapy along with four weekly evaluations under general anesthesia along with needful treatment like laser in eye (transpupillary thermotherapy), cryotherapy and local chemo in the eye until the tumor resolves completely. If the eye is not salvageable, enucleation with implant surgery (removal of eyeball and placement of artificial eye) is done. Even after completion of treatment, the child needs to be followed up under anesthesia for five years. For stage three and four disease, treatment is prolonged (12 cycles of high dose chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy) and even with treatment, life prognosis is not good. 

As for Sabin, after a detailed evaluation, he was diagnosed as having Stage zero disease with non salvageable Group E disease in the right eye and Group C in the left eye. He was referred to Kanti Children Hospital for six cycles of chemotherapy. Since Sabin’s family was from a low income background, he was helped by Open Eyes Nepal, a non-government organization focused on creating awareness and providing financial support to Retinoblastoma patients, for treatment at Tilganga Hospital. After completing 6 cycles of chemotherapy, his right eye was surgically removed (enucleation with implant surgery) and provided a custom fit prosthetic eye which was also provided free of cost by Open Eyes Nepal. As for the left eye, it was saved after 8 cycles of laser therapy. After being disease free for two years, Sabin still comes to Tilganga Hospital every six months for follow-up.

However, sometimes this favorable case scenario is not present. When patients come to hospital very late into the disease of Retinoblastoma, the tumor comes out of the eye and presents with a fungating mass. Hence, it is important to identify the disease in the early stage by parents as well as health care personnel, so that with appropriate management, eye and life can be saved with Retinoblastoma.