AGP Executive Report

Disaster Recovery: A parliamentary committee has begun onsite visits to flood-hit areas, gathering local concerns about restoring services, safe resettlement and resilient reconstruction. The government has ended the search for flood victims; 5,285 people remain missing, according to reports. Climate Diplomacy: Nepal is proposing a “Sagarmatha to the Sea” partnership with Pacific nations ahead of COP31, linking Himalayan glacier loss with rising seas. Its emergency proposal on climate-disaster response and resilience has also won a two-thirds majority at the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Himalayan Risks: A new study highlights black carbon from brick kilns as an added driver of glacier melt, while research warns that microplastics are spreading through the Hindu Kush Himalaya’s glaciers, snow, rivers and soils. Safer Homes: A global housing report says flood and landslide exposure compounds Nepal’s shortage of safe, affordable homes, underscoring the need for climate-resilient construction.

Climate Diplomacy: Nepal has proposed a “Sagarmatha to the Sea” partnership with Pacific island nations, linking shared climate risks and seeking a stronger voice on adaptation and loss-and-damage funding ahead of COP31. Flood Aftermath: The government has ended the search for victims of the August 26 floods, with 1,455 bodies recovered and 5,285 people still missing; authorities are shifting to rehabilitation and reconstruction. Economic Impact: The World Bank projects Nepal’s growth will slow to 3.7% in FY27 as flood damage disrupts energy, transport, trade and tourism, and urges more resilient infrastructure. Mountain Pollution: A review finds microplastics in Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers, snow, water and soils, raising concerns for ecosystems and downstream river basins that supply nearly two billion people.

Disaster Risk & Infrastructure: Infrastructure Minister Sunil Lamsal told a parliamentary special committee that Nepal needs a “paradigm shift” to build disaster-resilient structures, warning that poor water management and debris buildup in rivers are making infrastructure “irrelevant.” Post-Flood Recovery & Governance: The government is preparing to amend laws on declaring and registering deaths of people missing in disasters via ordinance, while Parliament leaders say disaster-affected families must feel the state’s presence with relief and essential services ahead of Dashain. Border Connectivity After Floods: Lamsal said Nepal has restored the Tatopani road and is in daily talks with China, but the Chinese side has not yet given the green light; efforts are also underway to restore Rasuwagadhi. Economic Fallout: The World Bank projects Nepal’s growth will slow to 3.7% in FY2026/27 after the Aug 26 Rasuwa flood, with damage hitting hydropower, solar, transmission and transport. Climate Diplomacy: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal urged Pacific leaders and the world to treat mountains and oceans as one climate system, highlighting climate injustice faced by vulnerable countries. Biodiversity & Wildlife: A new report warns Nepal’s biodiversity is under climate threat, while globally, Indonesia’s rhino crisis and a newly identified extinct crocodile species underscore how fast nature can change.

Flood Recovery & Climate Justice: Nepal’s economy is projected to slow to 3.7% after the Aug 26 Rasuwa–Bhotekoshi flash floods, with the World Bank estimating $1.66bn in direct asset damage and total disaster effects around $2.7bn, while recovery needs are put near $4.8bn—mostly for infrastructure. Search & Legal Process: Nepal has ended search-and-rescue for missing people and is shifting to search-and-rehabilitation, with authorities starting legal steps to declare the missing dead for insurance and other formalities. Disaster Governance: Law Minister Sobita Gautam says disaster-focused laws are overdue, pointing to repeated warnings over past river-corridor disasters and stressing procedures for death registration of the missing. Water Planning: A dialogue in Kathmandu warns Nepal’s water planning remains fragmented, urging stronger links between water, energy, food and ecosystems after the disaster. COP31 Momentum: As COP31 approaches, global talks are expected to deliver only modest steps, with heat and fossil-fuel pressures dominating the agenda. Air Quality Funding Gap: New research says some of the world’s most polluted countries, including Nepal, receive under $2 per person per year for outdoor air pollution—despite major health costs. Wildlife & Habitats: In Nepal’s Chure region, turtle numbers are declining due to habitat loss, wetland filling, illegal hunting and water pollution. Urban Environment: The Kathmandu Valley Metro Rail master plan draft is out for public input, including a strategic environmental assessment for the proposed east–west light rail. Health Systems: The Health Insurance Board is moving to a digital system, making National ID mandatory for enrolment and claims management from mid-December.

Flood Recovery & Risk Management: Nepal has ended search-and-rescue for people still missing after the August floods, while cleanup continues and the government moves toward reconstruction and an emergency warning system, with major funding earmarked for power grids, hydropower, and roads/bridges. Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: The government is revising road and bridge design codes after flood and landslide damage, aiming for taller/longer bridges where needed and a new maintenance and disaster resilience unit. Glacier Loss in the Alps: Switzerland reported glaciers losing 5.5% of ice volume this year, underscoring how heat waves and low winter snow are accelerating melt. Air Pollution Funding Gap: A new global report says some of the world’s most polluted countries, including Nepal, receive under $2 per person annually for air-quality work, despite pollution’s huge health toll. Climate Diplomacy in the Pacific: Pre-COP talks in Fiji and Tuvalu are pushing for 1.5°C, faster climate finance, and stronger ocean protections ahead of COP31. Biodiversity Note: A collared kingfisher has been recorded in Nepal for the first time, adding to the country’s bird list. Education for Climate Skills: Gandaki Province will fund STEAM labs in 11 community schools to make science learning more practical. Food Prices & Disasters: Mutton prices are at record highs and could rise further for Dashain, with traders linking supply shortages to recent floods and landslides.

Disaster Risk & Climate Justice: A new study using satellite data says nearly 80% of Nepal’s landslides over 22 years happened near earlier landslide sites, shifting the focus from predicting “new” failures to monitoring known scar areas—an urgent lesson after the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli floods. Flood Recovery & Housing: One month after the August floods, families in Nuwakot’s Devighat and Dhunge still can’t rebuild; homes were swept away and decisions on permanent settlement remain unclear. Early Warning & Preparedness: Nepal’s disasters keep repeating the same pattern—warnings exist, but institutional learning and preparedness are not fully turning into safer systems. Infrastructure Resilience: The Department of Roads says bridge and road standards will change after floods and landslides—moving toward long-span designs without river pillars, higher freeboard, and designs that account for debris flows. Power & Reliability: The long-stalled Hetauda–Dhalkebar 400kV transmission line is set to resume and come into operation right after Dashain. Biodiversity: A collared kingfisher (white-collared kingfisher) was recorded for the first time in Nepal in Dhanusha, bringing the national bird count to 904. Global Climate Diplomacy: Nepal’s foreign minister joined UN pre-COP leaders events in Fiji and Tuvalu, aiming to push climate justice and Himalayan concerns ahead of COP31.

Himalayan Disaster & Displacement: Ground cracks after heavy rain have displaced 15 families in Makawanpur, with 80 nearby houses at risk, pushing people into a school shelter as they fear further sinking. Climate Diplomacy: Pacific leaders opened a UN “pre-COP” in Nadi, urging keeping 1.5°C alive, scaling climate finance for communities, and protecting oceans ahead of COP31. Glacial Lake Risk: Nepal is preparing to drain four dangerous glacial lakes after deadly flash floods, aiming to cut future outburst risk. Policy & Accountability: Experts at a regional dialogue in Dhaka called for grant-based loss-and-damage finance and stronger early-warning and regional cooperation, warning that loans deepen injustice. Energy Resilience: Nepal Electricity Authority says the long-stalled Hetauda–Dhalkebar 400 kV transmission line should be ready to operate immediately after Dashain, improving supply reliability. Wildlife & Law: A World Animal Day reminder highlights Nepal’s gap: it worships animals but still lacks strong legal protection. Conservation & Research: Chinese scientists are set to conduct a joint field survey in Nepal to trace a cross-border glacier-disaster chain affecting both countries.

Glacial Disaster Survey: Chinese scientists have started a joint field survey in Nepal to reconstruct the cross-border chain of events after a glacier collapse triggered mudslides that hit both sides of the Himalaya, with teams covering source areas, affected zones and downstream river basins. Flood Recovery Gaps: After the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli disaster, businesses say they still can’t access promised recovery support, while local governments and donors continue relief—Phidim Municipality sent Rs 4.7 million to the PM Disaster Relief Fund and UK-based Nepalis mobilized aid for flood victims. Climate Justice Protests: Activists in Kathmandu rallied after the floods, demanding urgent climate action and accountability for deadly extreme weather. Everest Crowding: New data shows Mount Everest is busier than ever, with spring climbs dominating and hired workers making up a growing share of summit attempts. Kathmandu Transport Plan: Nepal released a draft Kathmandu Valley Urban Transport Master Plan with a strategic environmental assessment, seeking public input as congestion and air pollution worsen. Wildlife & Trade Risks: A rare blind snake near the China-Nepal border was identified, while concerns grow over illegal wildlife and plant trade, including orchids. Local Landslide Displacement: In Makawanpur, heavy rain has cracked and sunk ground, displacing 15 families and leaving dozens of homes vulnerable.

Glacial Lake Risk Cuts: Nepal is preparing to drain four high-altitude glacial lakes after the August Bhotekoshi disaster, aiming to lower the chance of natural dams breaching and triggering downstream floods; design work and detailed studies for Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II begin in the new fiscal year. Climate Science & Accountability: New research strengthens the link between warming and extreme weather, while Nepal’s UN push on climate justice and loss-and-damage continues to frame disasters as a global responsibility, not just local misfortune. Himalayan Tourism Under Pressure: The proposed East-West Himalayan Tourist Highway faces criticism from MPs and tourism voices, warning it could bulldoze fragile landscapes and harm centuries-old trekking culture. Air Pollution by Policy (and Prices): Government plans tougher measures against airlines charging exorbitant fares during festivals and emergencies, with fines proposed for operators exceeding approved rates. Biodiversity & Illegal Trade: A guide on orchid rules warns that collecting wild orchids can fuel illegal trade and threaten species, including in Nepal. Energy Transition Push: ADB-backed PPP support will help expand Nepal’s power transmission and battery storage capacity, targeting more reliable supply.

Glacial Lake Risk Management: Nepal is starting a high-stakes project to drain four dangerous glacial lakes—Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II—to cut the chance of dam breaches and downstream floods after the August glacier collapse. Design and detailed studies begin now, with canals draining water into nearby rivers under regulated control, while workers face health risks from high-altitude work. Climate Justice Push: After the Rasuwa floods, activists in Kathmandu held protests and a candlelight vigil demanding real climate action and lower carbon emissions, warning other countries could face similar disasters. Disaster Science Update: A report on the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi disaster highlights how a massive glacier/rock slab collapse may have generated seismic signals, with thawing permafrost potentially making slopes more likely to fail. Policy and Infrastructure Moves: The government is also preparing to expand the Ministry of Infrastructure Development by bringing irrigation under it, and ADB has backed Nepal’s power transmission and battery storage expansion via PPP advisory support. Misinformation Alert: AFP reports a landslide video circulating online is AI-generated, despite claims it shows Nepal’s recent disasters.

Glacial Lake Flood Risk: Nepal plans to drain four high-altitude glacial lakes this fiscal year to cut the chance of dangerous breaches after the August disaster killed over 1,400 and left thousands missing, with controlled channels diverting water to nearby rivers and design work for lakes including Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II expected to run through mid-July 2027. Floods and Health Access: Flood damage has pushed at least 33 pregnant women from Rasuwa and Nuwakot to Kathmandu for childbirth, as local roads and ultrasound services were disrupted. Climate Justice at Home and UN: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal says Nepal is pushing climate justice beyond slogans, urging grant-based climate finance and stronger adaptation support, while highlighting Nepal’s low emissions but high impacts. Clean Energy Push: AEPC and GRIPS 2 trained 45 engineers on industrial solar PV and battery storage, aiming to strengthen power continuity during disruptions. Solar for All Debate: International climate leaders renewed calls for clean, affordable solar “everywhere by 2030,” arguing it can expand access and cut reliance on fossil fuels. Waste and Urban Pressure: Kathmandu’s mounting waste problem is spilling beyond the valley, with peri-urban dumping worsening landfill strain and environmental harm.

Himalayan Disaster Response: Nepal’s National Assembly has formed a nine-member special committee to study damage from the Bhotekoshi and Kaligandaki corridor disasters, with a mandate covering preparedness, rescue and rehabilitation, and a specific push to factor in climate change and climate justice—plus recommendations for modern early-warning systems. Power and Recovery: Flood impacts have knocked out at least 640 MW of hydropower capacity, raising reliance on imported Indian electricity for the winter, though officials say nationwide load-shedding is unlikely during Dashain and Tihar. Mountain Safety Crisis: An avalanche at Himlung Himal base camp in Manang killed at least 15 Nepali workers and left one missing, underscoring how warming-linked glacier and ice instability is making seasonal climbing work more dangerous. Climate Diplomacy in Kathmandu: Kathmandu Climate Week opens Friday (Oct 2–4) under “Climate Justice for Building Climate Resilience,” with sessions on loss and damage, litigation, youth voices, and frontline impacts from the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi floods. Glacier Alarm Beyond Nepal: Switzerland reported a 5.5% loss of glacier ice volume this year, driven by heat and low snowfall—another stark reminder that rapid ice loss is now a global pattern.

Himalayan Disaster Response: Nepal’s National Assembly formed a nine-member special committee to study Bhotekoshi and Kaligandaki corridor damage, including climate-change impacts, early warning systems, and long-term risk reduction. Avalanche Tragedy: An avalanche at Himlung Himal base camp in Manang killed 15 Nepali workers preparing for climbers; one remains missing as rescue winds down. Water Security in the Himalaya: UAE and IWMI held a Kathmandu dialogue warning that parts of the region are nearing “water bankruptcy,” urging climate-ready hydropower and resilience planning. Glacier Loss Signals Climate Reality: Switzerland’s glaciers lost about 5.5% of ice volume in 2026, with experts blaming heatwaves and low winter snow on human-caused warming. Climate Finance & Justice Push: Nepal’s UNGA messaging on loss and damage and climate justice continues to shape international support discussions after recent floods. Fertilizer & Food Security: Agriculture officials say chemical fertilizer supply hit a record 538,436 metric tons, but subsidy costs may reach about Rs 59 billion, raising budget pressure. Energy & Grid Resilience: ADB backed NEA power transmission and battery storage PPPs to improve grid reliability and integrate renewables.

Himalayan Climate Warning: Nepal’s PM Balendra Shah told the UN General Assembly that warming is destabilising the Himalaya—melting permafrost, fracturing slopes, and raising risks of ice-rock avalanches, floods and landslides—after the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli disaster. Disaster Update: Heavy monsoon rains have triggered another wave of floods and landslides, with Nepal reporting at least 27 deaths and India reporting at least 62, while authorities warn many areas remain at flash-flood risk. Climate Justice at COP-31: Nepal’s MPs pushed for stronger climate justice and climate finance ahead of COP-31, urging early-warning and preparedness for at-risk glacial lakes and safer housing, not just post-disaster spending. Plastic Pollution Crackdown: Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered nationwide enforcement of the 40-micron plastic bag ban, citing weak coordination and delays. Natural Farming Push: 50 Nepali officials left for India for a five-day natural farming training, part of ongoing Nepal-India capacity building. Energy & Flood Recovery: Flood damage to hydropower and transmission is raising fears of winter load shedding, while government and committees discuss reconstruction models and road restoration.

Flood Aftermath & Climate Justice: Prime Minister Balendra Shah told the UNGA that Nepal’s Bhotekoshi–Trishuli disaster is a warning to the world, stressing Nepal’s tiny emissions and calling for grant-based recovery funding plus a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism with India and China. Disaster Toll Update: Fresh heavy rain and landslides have pushed Nepal’s flood death toll to at least 34, with injuries and missing people reported as infrastructure damage forces closures. Energy Hit Hard: The same floods destroyed 11 hydropower projects and damaged dams, headworks, powerhouses and transmission lines; questions are growing over insurance gaps and the need for a restoration plan. Climate Finance Push: A climate expert urged Nepal to rely less on excessive foreign aid for climate action, while aiming to raise climate-friendly budget spending to 20% and prepare adaptation plans for all local levels. Regional Cooperation & Funding: Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle returned from AIIB’s annual meeting in Doha, where Nepal was elected Vice Chair and discussed scaling sustainable infrastructure investment. Policy & Resilience Governance: Nepal’s disaster-hit needs are being assessed, including recommendations to declare Myagdi a disaster-hit district, while broader calls continue for stronger preparedness and early warning. Sustainable Agriculture Training: Fifty Nepali officials left for India for natural farming training, part of ongoing capacity-building in sustainable agriculture.

Himalayan Disaster Update: Nepal’s climate-linked catastrophe is still unfolding after the Aug 26 Langtang Lirung collapse: around 1,450 dead and 5,600 missing, with thousands displaced and roads, bridges and hydropower hit hard. Disaster Governance: Parliament is moving to scrutinize the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli disaster through a new special committee, with Ganesh Parajuli set to chair and a mandate covering climate impacts, reconstruction and future risk reduction. Human Impact: Families in Nepal and abroad say the missing are not just statistics—reports highlight ongoing searches and the struggle for safe housing, privacy and stability as survivors rebuild. Climate Signals: Coverage links the disaster to a wider regional warning as El Niño fuels extreme weather across Asia, raising the stakes for early warning and preparedness. Public Health Nutrition: A new spotlight on infant feeding shows only 55% are breastfed within the first hour, and exclusive breastfeeding remains low—urging stronger health services and workplace and policy support. Policy & Data: Nepal’s farmer registry drive adds 300,000 farmers, aiming to improve targeting and transparency in agricultural support.