From a Nepal in Pain, a Young Leader Makes a Case for Climate Reparations

Balendra Shah, a 36‑year‑old environmental activist from Kathmandu, arrived at the United Nations General Assembly in New York wearing a simple cotton T‑shirt and a battered baseball cap, a look that has become emblematic of a new generation of global leaders. The image, captured by a reporter’s camera as he stepped onto the podium, was immediately shared across social media, where hashtags such as #ClimateReparations and #GenZVoice trended for the next hour. Shah’s speech, in which he called for a “global reparations fund” to compensate the world’s most vulnerable communities for climate‑induced disasters, was praised by many in the international community, but it also sparked controversy back home in Nepal.In the months preceding the UN event, Nepal had been ravaged by a series of flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains..

According to the Nepalese government, the floods killed more than 1,200 people and left another 8,000 missing, while infrastructure damage was estimated at US$3.7 billion. The most heavily affected districts, such as Jumla and Dolakha, suffered catastrophic losses: entire villages were swallowed by mud, roads were buried under debris, and millions of tons of sediment blocked rivers, causing further flooding downstream. The scale of the devastation was such that local authorities struggled to coordinate relief efforts, and many communities had to rely on aid from international charities and neighbouring countries.The tragedy has left a deep imprint on Shah’s political agenda..

Growing up in the remote hills of eastern Nepal, he witnessed the early signs of climate change—shortened monsoon seasons, erratic rainfall patterns, and a gradual rise in average temperatures. He entered university in Kathmandu to study environmental science, but it was his involvement with grassroots organisations that truly shaped his worldview. “I saw how a single downpour could destroy a whole valley, and I realised that we needed a global conversation about responsibility,” Shah told an interview with a national news outlet..

His message is one that he has been pushing for years: the idea that those who have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions should shoulder a larger portion of the financial burden to help communities that are suffering the most.The United Nations, however, has yet to adopt a formal mechanism for climate reparations. Existing frameworks, such as the Green Climate Fund, aim to channel capital from developed to developing nations but are limited by their reliance on voluntary contributions from donor states. Critics argue that the current system does not adequately address the urgency and scale of climate disasters in regions such as South Asia, where small island states and Himalayan communities are on the front line of a warming planet..

Shah’s proposal, which calls for a mandatory reparations fund backed by a binding contribution from all major emitters, has therefore been seen by some as a bold but unrealistic political gambit.At home, the reaction to Shah’s speech has been mixed. Many of his supporters, especially among the youth, celebrate him as a visionary who is daring to confront entrenched power structures. “He is a voice for the people who are still not heard,” said Priyanka Gupta, a 22‑year‑old student from Patan..

“The flood victims deserve compensation, and we are tired of watching our villages disappear.” The image of Shah holding a placard that read “Reparations Now” in front of the UN flag was shared widely, and a trending hashtag saw over 300,000 posts in the first 24 hours.On the other side of the spectrum, some local politicians and media commentators have criticised Shah’s stance as naïve or even unpatriotic. “He is putting Nepal on a global blame list and risking diplomatic relations,” said Ramesh Shrestha, a senior member of the Nepali Congress party. “We already have a debt to the International Monetary Fund; we cannot afford to add more obligations.” The concerns stem from a broader anxiety over the perception that Nepal is a victim rather than a partner in global discussions about climate action..

Many fear that the push for reparations could invite scrutiny of Nepal’s own environmental record, including deforestation rates and the impacts of hydroelectric projects.The debate over climate reparations also reflects a wider conversation about the distribution of global power. Climate justice scholars argue that the historical and economic contributions to carbon emissions have been heavily skewed. Data from the World Bank show that developed countries have emitted over 70 per cent of cumulative anthropogenic greenhouse gases, while developing countries are responsible for a much smaller share..

However, the latter are disproportionately affected by climate change. This mismatch has led to calls for a “loss and damage” framework within the Paris Agreement, which would allow vulnerable countries to seek financial assistance for irreversible impacts. Shah’s advocacy is a direct manifestation of that call.In addition to the financial component, Shah has emphasised the importance of technology transfer and capacity building..

He argued that reparations should not be limited to monetary payments but should also include the provision of advanced water management systems, early warning mechanisms, and sustainable agriculture practices. “We can’t simply give money and leave; we need to help communities adapt in ways that are sustainable and culturally appropriate,” Shah said. This holistic approach has gained traction among development agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, both of whom have been exploring models of climate resilience that go beyond short‑term aid.The United Nations has responded by inviting Shah to a side event hosted by the Climate Action Network, where he was joined by other youth activists, including a representative from the Philippines who had recently survived a typhoon, and a former United Nations Climate Change ariat official..

The panel discussion focused on the feasibility of implementing a reparations fund and highlighted several potential challenges: determining the contribution levels for each country, establishing a fair allocation mechanism, and ensuring transparency in the use of funds. One key takeaway was the suggestion to model the fund after the World Bank’s Disaster Risk Management Fund, which pools resources from a mix of public and private donors and distributes them based on need.Despite the enthusiasm among global actors, there are still significant political obstacles to the creation of such a fund. The United States, for example, has traditionally been cautious about any policy that could be seen as punitive towards other nations..

Likewise, the European Union has expressed a willingness to fund climate adaptation but has emphasised the need for a balanced approach that includes mitigation efforts. “We cannot ignore the reality that climate change is a shared problem,” said a spokesperson from the European Commission, who declined to name a specific individual. “However, we must be prudent about how we structure financial commitments.”In the meantime, Nepal is already taking steps to mitigate the effects of future disasters..

The government, in collaboration with international partners, has launched a riverbank reinforcement project.