Indian Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has emphasized India's unwavering commitment to global climate action and the need for collaborative efforts to safeguard the Himalayas and other mountain ecosystems. He expressed India’s dedication to addressing the global climate crisis. He noted, “It is a profound honour to represent India at this historic gathering. The name Sagarmatha, meaning ‘Head of the Sky,’ aptly encapsulates the majesty and the responsibility we bear in protecting the mountains that form the lifeblood of our planet.”
Yadav appreciated Nepal for hosting the Sambaad and stated that India, with its vast Himalayan region, shares a common ecological and cultural bond with its mountain neighbours. He stressed that South Asia accounts for only 4 percent of historical global CO₂ emissions, despite being home to nearly 25 percent of the global population. The Minister emphasized that the burden of the climate crisis continues to fall disproportionately on developing nations, while developed countries remain far from fulfilling their commitments to climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
Yadav further emphasized the immense biodiversity value of high-altitude ecosystems like the India and Nepal region. He stressed on the need for enhanced transboundary conservation efforts, calling on all Himalayan nations to collaborate under the International Big Cats Alliance to support joint protection initiatives for species such as snow leopards, tigers, and leopards. “The Alliance aims to foster conservation expertise, fund critical initiatives, and create a knowledge repository for the protection of these iconic species”, he stated.
The Minister also outlined a five-point call for global action to address the shared ecological challenges of mountainous regions.
- Enhanced Scientific Cooperation: Strengthening research collaboration, and monitoring cryospheric changes, hydrological cycles, and biodiversity.
- Building Climate Resilience: Investing in climate adaptation measures, early warning systems for disasters like Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), and climate-resilient infrastructure in mountain areas.
- Empowerering Mountain Communities: Ensuring that the welfare, needs and aspirations of local communities are at the heart of policy-making and their benefit from green livelihoods and sustainable tourism. Their traditional knowledge is an invaluable resource.
- Providing Green Finance: Making available adequate and predictable climate finance as per the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement for mountain Nations to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies effectively.
- Recognizing Mountain Perspectives: Ensuring that the unique vulnerabilities and contributions of mountain ecosystems are suitably featured in global climate negotiations and sustainable development agendas.
On the sidelines of the Sagarmatha Sambaad 2025, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, where the two leaders engaged in a productive discussion on strengthening India-Nepal cooperation in the field of environment. He also called on the Prime Minister Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli. He conveyed to him greetings from the leadership in India and congratulated him for successfully organizing the first edition of Sagarmatha Sambaad. Both leaders noted the close and friendly relations between India and Nepal which are deeply rooted in historical, cultural, civilizational and people-to-people ties.
