New York, Sept. 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has advocated for the ‘Mountain to Sea’ initiative as an integrated approach in climate action, acknowledging the vital connections within this ecosystem.

“The initiative should extend from Everest to the Indian Ocean, from the Pamirs to the Pacific, and from the Andes to the Atlantic, recognizing the environmental and ecological interconnections,” he stated. Speaking at the 79th UN General Assembly’s High-Level Plenary Meeting themed “Addressing the Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise,” Prime Minister Oli emphasized the necessity of bold, decisive measures to cap the global temperature increase at 1.5°C. “This figure represents a survival threshold,” he remarked.

According to ICIMOD, even a 1.5°C rise is excessive for the Himalayas due to elevation-dependent warming, which exacerbates effects equivalent to a 2°C increase. The Himalayas and other high mountains serve as natural coolers and recharge systems, conditioning the air and replenishing downstream river systems. He urged a unified global response to combat sea level rise, enhance national resilience, and adjust to climatic shifts, stressing the importance of curbing pollutants that lead to acidic clouds and contaminate glaciers. “Above all, we must achieve climate justice, with affluent nations taking the lead in aiding those at risk,” he declared.

Prime Minister Oli called for a high-level UN General Assembly meeting next year to focus on the existential climate threats to mountainous and island nations. He warned that as global warming endangers the ecosystems from mountains to seas, countries like Nepal and coastal states, including Small Island Developing States, face becoming joint casualties.