Melting glaciers in Nepal sees United Nations Secretary-General call for immediate climate action

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned on Friday that with record melting of Himalayan glaciers there is a need for immediate action to address the climate crisis, especially in the world's most fragile ecosystems.

Guterres issued the warning in a video message to the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad, or ‘Everest Dialogue’ convened by the Government of Nepal in Kathmandu.  

Guterres stated "record temperatures have meant record glacier melt. Nepal today is on thin ice - losing close to one-third of its ice in just over thirty years. And your glaciers have melted 65% faster in the last decade than in the one before."

Named after Mount Everest (Sagarmatha in Nepali), the international platform convened ministers, parliamentarians, climate experts, and civil society to focus on climate change, mountain ecosystems, and sustainability.

Glaciers in the region have served for centuries as vital freshwater reservoirs. Their accelerated melt now threatens not only local communities but vast populations downstream who rely on Himalayan-fed rivers.

Reduced water flow in river systems such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus threatens not only water but also food production for nearly two billion people across South Asia.

The United Nations Secretary-General highlighted that when combined with saltwater intrusion, this could trigger collapsing deltas and mass displacement

"We would see low-lying countries and communities erased forever," he said.

Ahead of the summit, Nepal's children and youth stepped into the spotlight with their own call to action submitting a declaration demanding urgent and inclusive climate action that recognises them as rights-holders and climate actors - not just passive victims.

Among their key demands: ensuring child participation in climate decisions, supporting youth-led programmes, and promoting their innovations and climate action.

"The climate crisis is a child rights crisis - disproportionately impacting their health, nutrition, education and well-being," shared Alice Akunga, head of the UN Children's Fund ( UNICEF ) in Nepal, which supported the deliberations.

"Listening to the voices of the 'future of humanity' is critical to designing and implementing meaningful and lasting solutions to address the adverse effects of climate change on children and youth."

In his message, Guterres reiterated his call on the world to "stop the madness" of fossil fuel-driven global warming, a warning he made during his previous visit to the Everest region in 2023. 

The world must act without delay to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, he continued - the target set by the Paris Agreement on climate change - with the biggest emitters leading the way.

This includes investing in renewable energy, fulfilling the $1.3 trillion climate finance goal agreed at COP29 , doubling adaptation finance to at least $40 billion this year as pledged by developed countries, and providing robust, sustained support to the Loss and Damage Fund .

"Achieving these goals demands bold collaboration," Guterres concluded. "The United Nations is your ally in this essential task."

Image. Mountains in Nepal’s Annapurna range, where glaciers are retreating and snow lines are rising due to climate change. Credit: UN News/Vibhu Mishra