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The ‘Global Hunger Index–2025’ report has been unveiled in Karnali. 

Binod Kumar Shah, the Minister for Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of the Karnali Province, released the report. 

During the event held in Surkhet Birendranagar, organized by Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LIBIRD) with support from Welthungerhilfe, Minister Shah emphasized that the report serves as a guide for identifying areas where Nepal, particularly Karnali, requires enhancements. 

He noted that the Karnali government has developed several initiatives, including the Food Sovereignty Act, Organic Agriculture Act, Agricultural Business Promotion Act, agricultural strategy, and a draft of the Pollination Strategy, all aimed at bolstering the Zero Hunger campaign. 

Minister Shah remarked, “Karnali has limited arable land. Nevertheless, the government is striving to cultivate high-value products from the limited land available.” 

He referenced a public report, indicating that the insights provided would aid the Karnali provincial government in formulating policies, which would be especially beneficial for agricultural workers and farmers. 

He stressed that the subjects outlined in this report should be mandatory study material for local government representatives, provincial secretaries, and agricultural specialists. 

Laxman Khatri, the program head of LIBIRD, pointed out that for the past seven years, LIBIRD has been releasing the Hunger Index report in Nepal, highlighting that while stunting remains a challenge, there have been positive trends in reducing wasting and child mortality rates. 

He asserted that if multi-dimensional nutrition-related initiatives are executed in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals, hunger could potentially be eradicated.

“All three tiers of government must prioritize this effort,” he stated, “We are implementing agriculture and nutrition programmes in Karnali and Sudurpaschim to enhance food security.”

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has prohibited the burning of waste and plastic materials within the metropolis.

The Environment Department of KMC has stated that this prohibition aims to mitigate the detrimental effects of air pollution on both the environment and public health.

As temperatures drop, the practice of burning waste, plastic, and other materials in open places have escalated. Department Head Sarita Rai said that incineration of these waste materials has harmful consequences for the environment and public health, which is the rationale behind the enforcement of this ban.

She further noted that any individual found in violation of this regulation will be fined Rs 10,000 for each offense. "Each year, during the winter months, the levels of air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley rise considerably. A substantial portion of this pollution is attributed to the open burning of plastic materials," remarked Department Chief Rai.

"This measure has been enacted to alleviate the negative impacts on public health and the environment." Air pollution adversely affects vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma, those with cardiovascular issues, and persons suffering from chronic illnesses.

Along with it, KMC has undertaken initiatives to diminish smoke emissions resulting from the open burning of plastic materials to safeguard the health of all city inhabitants and the environment.

Rai emphasized, "Should anyone ignore the ban issued by KMC, appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Environment and Natural Resources Conservation Act, 2077 BS, and the Fiscal Act, 2082 BS.

Simrik Air carried out a search and recovery mission at the Yalung Ri area by deploying a helicopter on November 6, aimed at locating victims of the avalanche that struck the region on November 3.

The operation, conducted at an altitude of approximately 5,500 meters under extreme environmental and weather conditions, was carried out in coordination with AviA MEA – International Rescue Team, following reports that three foreign climbers and two Nepali guides had gone missing in the incident, reads a statement issued by Simrik Air.

A Simrik Air helicopter, piloted by Capt. Surendra Paudel, with rescue technicians Tshering Pandey Bhote and Uttam Chaudhary, provided crucial aerial support to an international rescue team led by Capt. Manuel Munari, Michele Cucchi, and Bruno Jelk.

Equipped with the RECCO search device, the crew assisted in the high-altitude recovery mission at Yalung Ri, which also included four IFMGA/NNMGA Sherpa guides, who played a crucial role in the ground operations, according to the statement.

The aerial search mission was carried out throughout November 6, 7 and 8.

According to experts, the mission is believed to be the first high-altitude operation utilizing the RECCO SAR device.

The team maintained coordination with support personnel in Kathmandu, Italy, and Switzerland ensuring seamless communication for operational updates and weather monitoring.

Multiple reconnaissance and search flights were conducted using both the RECCO SAR aerial system and the RECCO R9 ground search system.

This coordinated response was made possible through the joint efforts of Simrik Air (aerial transport and search operations), Heli Everest (support logistics and material transport), AviA MEA International Rescue Team, and the local IFMGA/NNMGA Sherpa guides, whose professionalism and courage were instrumental throughout the mission, the statement further reads. The operation was further supported by Earth C-Air (Switzerland), RECCO AB (Sweden), and Asian Trekking (Nepal).

Simrik Air has been collaborating with these organizations for several years to carry out critical high-altitude search, rescue, and recovery missions across Nepal’s challenging mountain terrain.

COP30 Leaders’ Summit concluded with the adoption of the ‘Call of Belém for the Climate’, a declaration urging accelerated global efforts to confront the worsening climate crisis. Meeting in the Amazonian city of Belém—33 years after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement—heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to multilateral climate action, solidarity, and sustainability.

The declaration underscored that “climate change is no longer a threat of the future—it is a tragedy of the present.” Leaders highlighted the urgent need to address intensifying floods, droughts, and wildfires that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. The Call of Belém emphasized bridging the “ambition, implementation, and means-of-implementation gaps” that continue to hinder progress toward the 1.5°C target.

The declaration outlined several key priorities, including tripling adaptation finance by 2030 and fully operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund. It also emphasized implementing the Baku–Belém Roadmap, which aims to mobilize $1.3trn annually by 2035 for developing countries. Leaders stressed the need to strengthen climate governance, reform global financial systems, and expand fair, grant-based climate finance. 

Furthermore, the declaration called for advancing the transition away from fossil fuels in a just and equitable manner to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while integrating technology transfer, digital innovation, and inclusive development into all aspects of climate action.

‘Climate crisis is our daily reality’

Representing Nepal at the summit, government officials reaffirmed the country’s leadership in nature conservation and sustainable development despite its negligible carbon footprint.

“Nearly 46 percent of Nepal’s land remains under forest cover, protected in partnership with local communities and Indigenous Peoples,” Nepal’s statement read. “Home to Mount Everest and the Himalayas, our country sustains vital ecosystems that provide clean air and fresh water to billions downstream,” said Rajendra Prasad Mishra, Secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Environment.

Nepal highlighted its rapid transition toward electric mobility and clean energy, and its strong policy frameworks through NDC 3.0 and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP). Earlier this year, the country hosted the Sagarmatha Sambaad, a global dialogue that reinforced collective commitment to multilateralism and keeping global warming below 1.5°C.

However, the statement warned that for mountain nations like Nepal, “the climate crisis is not a future threat but a daily reality.” Over 300 lives were lost this year alone to floods, landslides, droughts, glacial lake outbursts, and forest fires intensified by extreme temperatures.

Nepal called on COP30 to deliver concrete outcomes, including the realization of the Baku–Belém Roadmap for mobilizing $1.3trn in climate finance, tripling adaptation finance, and fully operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund with simplified and direct access for vulnerable countries. “We no longer have the luxury of delay,” Nepal’s statement concluded. “Let us act now—together—to safeguard our people, their livelihoods, and our planet.”

Youths call for climate justice and inclusion

Youths have called for urgent and equitable climate action through a pre-COP30 discussion with government representatives including Madan Prasad Pariyar, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development. The dialogue “From the Himalayas to the Amazon: Understanding Climate Negotiations and Nepal’s Engagement” highlighted youth priorities and Nepal’s climate agenda, connecting voices from the Himalayas to the Amazon. For young people in Nepal, a country contributing less than 0.1 percent of global emissions yet among the most climate-vulnerable, the climate crisis is not a future concern but a lived reality. Melting glaciers, erratic rainfall, and worsening floods and droughts have already threatened livelihoods, ecosystems, and our collective future.

In Nepal, youth are already leading the way, organizing climate campaigns, promoting clean energy, and advancing resilience in communities. Yet, their inclusion in decision-making remains limited. Genuine youth participation must be institutionalized, not symbolic, so that young people are recognized as partners in shaping climate policy and solutions, they say.

The event, organized by Clean Energy Nepal, Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA), and in collaboration with other youth networks, aimed to strengthen youth understanding of international climate processes and align youth advocacy with Nepal’s national climate priorities.  “This initiative gave us the platform to translate our concerns into concrete policy recommendations. Nepalese youth are not only demanding change, we are helping shape it,” said Aakriti Dotel, Network Coordinator of NYCA.

During the meeting, youth representatives presented a joint statement outlining collective priorities for Nepal’s engagement at COP30. In their official submission to the Ministry, they urged the government to keep 1.5°C alive by upholding science-based ambition, emphasizing that every fraction of a degree matters for mountains and communities. 

They called for climate justice, prioritizing fairness for the Global South and ensuring that vulnerable nations receive support rather than debt. The statement highlighted the need for grant-based finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to enhance adaptation and resilience, alongside the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund for recovery from unavoidable climate impacts. It further called for 80 percent of climate finance to be directed toward locally led adaptation efforts.

The youths also emphasized the importance of advancing the Dushanbe Glacier Declaration 2025, integrating the mountain agenda into global policy, and institutionalizing the participation of youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples in all climate processes. Additional priorities included promoting clean energy and a just transition through renewable energy and green jobs, recognizing the linkages between climate change, health, and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), and upholding accountability and human rights in line with the ICJ ruling obligating all nations to align their actions with the 1.5°C target. 

Minister Pariyar welcomed the youth recommendations, assuring that their perspectives would be integrated into Nepal’s COP30 position. “Youth voices are vital in shaping effective climate strategies. The government will continue to create platforms for young people to contribute meaningfully to climate action,” he said.