29/05/2026
**Press Release**
The Embassy of Nepal in Brussels organised a Dialogue on 'Climate Change and its Impact on the Himalayas' at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels today. Held to mark International Everest Day-the commemoration of the first ascent of humankind of Everest, the event drew attention to the pressing climate challenges faced by the mountain countries. The Dialogue brought together a distinguished audience, including ambassadors, heads of mission, and diplomats stationed in Belgium, alongside senior officials from the governments of Nepal, Belgium, and the EU, climate scientists, academics, Friends of Nepal, students, and representatives of various international organizations.
During the program, a short video message from the Hon’ble Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shisir Khanal, was played. While extending the greetings on the occasion of International Sagarmatha Day, Hon. Minister highlighted the shared responsibility to protect the fragile mountain system which bears the brunt of climate change, and reiterated Nepal’s commitment and leadership in this context. A short video on Climate Change in the Himalayas and its impact in the region was shared with the audience aligning with the Dialogue’s theme.
H.E. Ms Sewa Lamsal, Ambassador of Nepal to the BENELUX countries and Head of Mission to the EU, welcomed the distinguished guests in the program. While extending greetings on the occasion of International Sagarmatha Day and Republic Day of Nepal, she outlined the core issues of climate change and highlighted the challenges faced by Nepal. She emphasized that implementing Nepal's National Adaptation Plan demands substantial financial investment, and called on the international community to act in accordance with scientific evidence, meet their treaty commitments, and respect the ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate justice.
Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, Head of Climate Change Management Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Nepal delivered a keynote speech on Climate Financing for Resilient Nepal. While mentioning that Nepal is taking ambitious domestic actions through community adaptation, renewable energy expansion, forest conservation and NDC commitments, he further emphasized structural flaws in global climate finance including high transaction cost, limited access and capacity gaps.
H.E. Mr. Anthony Agotha, Special Envoy for Climate and Environment at the EEAS, in his special remarks appreciated diplomatic efforts of Nepal in advocating climate issues and reassured EU as a reliable partner of Nepal in its partnership with vulnerable nations at the frontlines of climate emergency.
Mr. Peter Wittoeck, Head of the Belgian Delegation to the UNFCCC in the Federal Climate Change Department, reiterated the vulnerabilities of mountain ecosystem, and highlighted Belgium’s ongoing international cooperation in addressing the climate impacts faced by Least Developed Countries.
Ms. Camilla Bruckner, Director of United Nations Brussels, in her remarks, mentioned Himalayas as critical global public good, and emphasized system approach rather than project-based approach in addressing this issue, including the need for collaborative approach towards climate action.
The program also featured a video message from Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). In his virtual address he described the Hindu Kush Himalayas as the world’s third pole, providing fresh water and essential ecosystem services to nearly two billion people across eight countries, and the need to protect these ecosystems through collective action.
Dr. Prajal Pradhan, Associate Professor at the University of Groningen, Netherlands, through a science-based presentation highlighted the importance of societal foundation within ecological limits to achieve the goal of climate action.
The presentations were followed by an Open Floor discussion, where the participants engaged actively, exchanged views, raised questions, and explored collaborative pathways for addressing the interconnected and complex challenges facing the Himalayan region.
The dialogue concluded with highlights and a summary reflection of the programme, presented by Mr. Kamal Devkota, Researcher at KU Leuven, followed by photo session and light refreshment.
Embassy of Nepal, Brussels
29 May 2026
