The recent catastrophe that struck Nepal offers a devastating reminder of the fragile, interconnected ecological reality of Himalayan Asia. A sudden collapse of ice and rock high in the mountains above the border region transformed within minutes into a violent surge of water, mud, and debris, sweeping through settlements, crushing critical infrastructure, and claiming over a thousand lives. The shockwaves of this tragedy were felt immediately in Kathmandu, where I happened to be visiting, along with various diplomats, politicians, and global observers gathered for pre-planned commitments.

During a high-profile conclave hosted in the capital by a leading Indian television news channel, the gravity of the situation completely reshaped the agenda. Addressing the audience, Rabi Lamichhane, the leader of the ruling Rashtriya Swatantra Party, made a poignant observation that cut through standard diplomatic platitudes. He noted, almost in passing, that whatever the prevailing geopolitical frictions, strategic rivalries, or sovereign boundary disputes among India, China, and Nepal, all three nations unavoidably share a single, unified mountain system. His remarks underscored a shared sentiment reverberating across Kathmandu: This tragedy was not merely an isolated localised accident, but a stark manifestation of accelerated global warming. It is a bitter irony that Nepal, whose greenhouse gas emissions are virtually negligible, bears the most brutal, immediate consequences of global climate change, while its vast, highly industrialised neighbours, especially to the north, account for a substantial portion of the atmospheric warming driving Himalayan glacial collapse.

Glaciers do not recognise international boundary lines, nor do glacial lakes, river basins, or atmospheric currents. When a glacial lake bursts, a landslip dams a transboundary river, or an........

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