Advancing sustainability in the Indo-Pacific: Perspectives on environmental resilience and climate adaptation in Nepal

About the event

Nepal is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region is warming faster than the global average, accelerating glacier retreat, destabilising ecosystems, and increasing the frequency and severity of floods, landslides, and extreme weather events. These impacts extend beyond national borders making Nepal’s climate trajectory a shared regional concern.

Canada recognises Nepal as a key partner in advancing climate resilience and sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific. The government of Nepal has demonstrated strong policy leadership in positioning climate change as a central development priority. Through its Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plan, Local Adaptation Plan of Action and Climate change Policy, Nepal has adopted an adaptation focused approach that reflects the realities of a highly climate-vulnerable mountain nation.

Engagement with Nepal aligns closely with Canada’s Indo-Pacific priorities of promoting climate resilience, sustainable growth, and regional stability. As a country whose river systems sustain large populations downstream, Nepal’s environmental stability has implications that extend across South Asia. Supporting Nepal’s climate adaption and sustainable development contributes to broader regional resilience – an objective that serves Canada’s long-term interests in a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Nepal also provides an important example of how adaptation-led development can protect vulnerable communities while enabling economic growth. Engagement strengthens partnerships with climate-vulnerable states, reinforces Canada’s credibility as a constructive Indo-Pacific partner, and advances shared goals in climate action, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive development. Canada’s experience in clean energy, climate governance, adaptation, and inclusive growth offers potential areas of value-added engagement, provided such cooperation is informed by local policy realities and regional dynamics.

Objectives

Jointly organised by ICIMOD and Canada Embassy, Delhi, this roundtable seeks to draw on the insights of leading Nepali think tanks and policy experts to deepen understanding of Nepal’s climate and environmental landscape. By situating national developments within a regional and international context, the discussions aim to identify where dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration with partners such as Canada can be most meaningful and mutually beneficial.

Key themes:

1. Adaptation and community resilience
2. Climate finance and implementation capacity
3. Renewable energy and sustainable growth
4. Regional and Indo-Pacific cooperation