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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stated that Nepal has not made any mistakes regarding carbon emissions, but rather the country is simply bearing the consequences of others in terms of the impacts of climate change. 

“Our carbon emissions are negligible, yet we are hugely impacted by climate change, and Nepal is one of the major victims of this,” the Prime Minister said while addressing a side event entitled “Glacial Melt and Beyond: Unraveling the Climate Challenges Impacting LLDCs” of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries at Awaza in Turkmenistan on Thursday.

PM Oli said that as a Himalayan country, glacial melting was one of the major challenges of Nepal. 

He added that the Himalayas are not only a source of water, lives and livelihoods of billions of people downstream, it is our identity, national pride and our present and future. 

"Not only this,  the Himalayas and Oceans are interlinked, and they recharge each other. Himalayas are cooling centers of the planet earth. But, unfortunately, this is vanishing," the PM added. 

The issue of glacial melt is not just an environmental concern for countries like Nepal; it is a constant threat, striking at the heart of our development, security, and survival, according to the PM. 

Oli shared that Nepal has already been victims of devastation of glacial lake outburst floods. "Recently on July 8, on a clear day, glacial lake outburst caused catastrophic floods in the Lende River in Rasuwa district which swept away the connecting bridge between Nepal and China. The flood caused death tolls of about 20 people and damaged huge infrastructure," the PM shared.  

Such climate-induced disasters are occurring time and again and we are afraid that this may increase in the days to come, he added.  

On the occasion, the PM stated that our agriculture, hydropower, tourism, and biodiversity– all climate-sensitive sectors–are increasingly at risk.

"These threats extend beyond our national boundaries. What happens in our mountains has cascading effects across borders, regions, and generations," the PM viewed. 

The PM stated that under the current emissions trajectories, the Himalayan region may lose up to two-thirds of its glacier volume by the end of this century. 

Saying that the rivers born in the Himalayas—the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus and Mekong, among others, —are lifelines for billions, PM Oli mentioned that as glaciers recede, these river systems will dry up, threatening water availability, agriculture, and energy security.

"The melting of our glaciers is not simply a loss of ice—it is a loss of lives, livelihoods, heritage, and hope. The cry of the glaciers is not silent. It is loud, and urgent. It is a plea not just for action, but for justice."

The PM viewed, “we can save our Himalayas with concrete and concerted actions and the speed of glacial melting could be reduced through collection efforts.

PM Oli also shared with the world community that Nepal stands ready—to act, to partner, and to lead—so that the voices of the Himalayas do not fade beneath melting ice, but rises to inspire global climate justice.

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli said sustainable infrastructures, robust connectivity, and seamless transit are essential pillars of growth, resilience, and hope in the landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). 

PM Oli said it while addressing a High-Level Thematic Roundtable on 'Building sustainable infrastructure, strengthening connectivity, and promoting the unfettered transit systems for landlocked developing countries' in Awaza, Turkmenistan, today.  

According to him, they are a lifeline. Indeed, they form the backbone of economic transformation, and they are essential for our competitiveness, according to him. 

"As we enter the next decade of action, let us renew our collective determination to connect LLDCs — physically, digitally and economically— to the global opportunities. Let us focus on infrastructure, connectivity, and transit as urgent imperatives for equity, inclusion, and shared progress," the PM said. 

The PM further viewed that our progress continues to be hindered by a lack of sea access, remoteness from global markets, high trade costs, delayed transit, limited connectivity, and fragile infrastructure. This is the best forum to discuss these challenges and its innovative solutions, reiterated.   

"To overcome these structural challenges and vulnerabilities, we must invest in integrated and climate-resilient infrastructure that connects regions. We must harness digital technologies to unlock new opportunities. We must create seamless transit systems that are reliable, efficient, and predictable. We need to simplify, harmonize and modernize customs procedures," the PM explained. 

According to him, it is time to deliver on the promise and build a future where no states are left behind.

Nepal's priority on seamless transit

On the occasion, the Head of the government took time to share Nepal's ambition of ‘Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali.

 In order to fulfill this aspiration, Nepal has prioritized sustainable infrastructure, improved connectivity, and seamless transit systems for durable and accelerated economic growth. 

He informed the world that Nepal is actively expanding and reinforcing cross-border linkages to ensure smooth and uninterrupted transit and trade. 

Nepal is committed to deepening partnership with its neighboring countries and beyond in the spirit of economic cooperation, regional integration and shared progress, the Prime Minister said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has directed the secretaries to prepare an action plan and implement the annual budget accordingly.

During a meeting at the Finance Ministry today, the Finance Minister reminded the secretaries to ensure results with proper enforcement of the budget.

 The ministry would extend support from its side for this, he pledged. 

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Chairperson Jin Liqun paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday. 

They held a meeting on the sidelines of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) underway in Awaza of Turkmenistan.