Kathmandu, October 5
Kathmandu Climate Week 2026 concluded on Sunday with a declaration setting out 16 commitments and calling on the international community and the Government of Nepal to take “immediate, effective, and results-oriented action” on climate justice, the organisers said.
The three-day conference ran from October 2 to 4 under the theme “Climate Justice for Climate Resilience: From Local Action to Global Climate Diplomacy.”
According to the organisers, it was meant to bring local experiences, national policy priorities, and international climate diplomacy onto one platform.
Diksha Thapa Magar presented the “Kathmandu Call for Climate Justice” on behalf of the organising committee.
Opening and sessions
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal gave the inaugural address on October 2. The opening session featured a dialogue between children and young people affected by the Rasuwa Himalayan Tsunami and representatives of various organisations.
The second day had 29 thematic sessions and three outdoor sessions at venues across Kathmandu. Topics included loss and damage, climate diplomacy, research and policy, the circular economy, and mobilising private-sector climate finance. Participants also discussed the impacts of the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi Himalayan Tsunami on affected communities.
Participants included scientists, researchers, parliamentarians, policymakers, senior government officials, civil society representatives, children and young people, Indigenous Peoples, Dalits, women, sexual and gender minorities, persons with disabilities, private-sector leaders and representatives of frontline communities.
Concluding day
Two high-level sessions were held on the final day. The special session on climate justice featured Member of the House of Representatives Dhananjay Regmi and Ganesh BK, a member of the International Relations and Tourism Committee. It was moderated by Apekshya Subedi.
A second session, “Amplifying Nepal’s Voice for Climate Justice through Action and Climate Diplomacy,” was facilitated by Sushmita Mishra. Speakers were Member of Parliament Anushka Shrestha; Abhishek Shrestha, adviser to the Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment; former Foreign Minister Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal; and media entrepreneur Samriddhi Gyawali.
At the closing session, Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra, Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, stressed the role of multi-stakeholder collaboration in strengthening Nepal’s climate policymaking and global representation.
Kalpana Tamang, a young girl from an area affected by the Rasuwa Himalayan Tsunami, called for justice and spoke about the experiences and demands of communities bearing the consequences of climate-related disasters.
Plans
Advocate Arnab Chaudhary, a member of the organising committee, said future editions would broaden the scope of sessions and deepen partnerships with government bodies and regional institutions. Organiser Binod Parajuli said the long-term aim is to expand Kathmandu Climate Week to the regional level and establish Kathmandu as a leading regional hub for climate advocacy and action.
As a continuation of the conference, a public screening of the film Elephants in the Fog is scheduled for October 5.
The event was jointly organised by Creasion, Climate Risk and Resilience Lab, All In Foundation, Nepal Climate Centre, Nepal Peacebuilding Initiative, Institute for Rural Development, Wind Power Nepal, Nepal Bar Association, Youth Alliance for Environment and Dignity Initiative, among others.
