"Nepal's Flood Diplomacy Poses Climate Justice Test for India"
GLOF
Sudden flood caused by failure of an ice or moraine dam holding a glacial lake
CBDR-RC
Principle that climate responsibilities differ by each nation's historical emissions and capacity
The Himalayan region is warming at nearly twice the global average rate, which is destabilising glaciers across Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India. As glaciers retreat, unstable glacial lakes form behind ice or moraine dams; when these dams fail, they release a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) that can destroy roads, hydropower plants, and entire valley settlements within minutes. Nepal contributes less than 0.1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions yet bears a disproportionate share of this risk, which is the essence of the climate justice debate. The Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) principle, enshrined in the UNFCCC (1992) and reaffirmed by the Paris Agreement (2015) with its 1.5°C target, was meant to address exactly this asymmetry. The Loss and Damage Fund was agreed upon at COP27 and made operational at COP28, but actual disbursements remain far below assessed needs.
India's own climate diplomacy has shifted from purely defending CBDR-RC as a shield against binding emission cuts to a more proactive posture, including the International Solar Alliance and a net-zero by 2070 commitment. India's equity argument rests partly on the fact that it ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, with electricity and heat producers forming its single largest emission source, even as its overall climate footprint remains far below that of developed economies. This dual identity, a Global South advocate at the UNFCCC that is simultaneously a large absolute emitter and infrastructure investor in its own neighbourhood, is precisely what Nepal's flood diplomacy now exposes.
Nepal's recent flash floods across the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins destroyed settlements, highways, and hydropower assets, prompting Kathmandu to move from a relief-based relationship with India toward a formal climate-justice framework. Nepal has approached the UN-backed Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and is also asking regional neighbours, including India and China, for cooperation on preparedness and data sharing, even while stopping short of naming any single country liable. This reflects a broader shift: CBDR-RC is being applied not only against historical polluters in the Global North but also regionally, against nearby high-emitting economies whose infrastructure investments sit inside the same fragile ecology. …
Consider the following statements:
I.Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita.
II.In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in Asia-Pacific region.
III.Electricity and heat producers are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
"Clean energy is the order of the day." Describe briefly India's changing policy towards climate change in various international fora in the context of geopolitics.
Consider the following statements regarding the Loss and Damage Fund:
1.It was agreed upon following COP27, held in 2022.
2.It is designed to address irreversible climate impacts that cannot be addressed through adaptation alone.
3.Contributions to the fund are mandatory for all developed (Annex-I) countries under the Paris Agreement.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following statements:
1.India ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion.
2.Electricity and heat producers are the largest source of India's CO2 emissions.
3.Nepal contributes less than 0.1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
How many of the above statements are correct?
A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) is best described as which of the following?
Match List-I (Institution/Mechanism) with List-II (Nature/Role) and select the correct answer using the code given below:
List-I:
A.New Development Bank (NDB)
B.Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
C.BIMSTEC
D.Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD)
List-II:
1.UN-backed fund for climate loss and damage compensation
2.Regional grouping of Bay of Bengal littoral and adjoining states
3.Multilateral bank founded by BRICS nations
4.Asia-focused multilateral infrastructure lending institution
Consider the following statements regarding India's economic stakes in Nepal's Himalayan ecology:
1.Indian firms have invested in Nepal's hydropower sector, including the Arun III and Upper Karnali projects.
2.Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Nepal's river basins can directly affect downstream Indian states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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