Former Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari called for stronger climate cooperation among Himalayan countries, including Nepal, China and India, at the 2026 Global Governance Forum in Xiong'an city, Hebei Province, China. She urged the countries to share meteorological data, monitor glaciers, develop early warning systems and coordinate disaster response, while stressing that global governance must take climate justice seriously.
A call for regional cooperation
Bhandari's appeal focused on practical cooperation between countries connected by the Himalayan region. She highlighted four areas for joint effort: exchanging weather information, observing glaciers, building early warning systems and coordinating responses to disasters. Together, these priorities point to a regional approach in which countries work across borders on climate-related information and preparedness.
Her call places information sharing at the centre of that cooperation. Sharing meteorological data can help countries access information relevant to weather monitoring, while coordinated glacier monitoring can support a wider understanding of changes in the Himalayan environment. Bhandari urged the countries to treat these efforts as shared priorities rather than separate national tasks.
The former president also stressed the importance of early warning systems and disaster response coordination. Her remarks linked the development of warnings with the need for countries to work together when responding to disasters. The emphasis was on cooperation among Himalayan nations, with Nepal, China and India named as countries that should strengthen their joint efforts.
Climate justice and global governance
Bhandari also connected climate action to global governance. She said the global community must take climate justice seriously, making it a central part of how international issues are addressed. Her remarks presented climate justice not as a separate concern, but as an issue that should inform wider discussions about governance and cooperation.
That message added a broader dimension to her regional proposals. Data sharing, glacier monitoring, warning systems and coordinated responses are specific areas for cooperation among Himalayan countries. Climate justice, in contrast, calls attention to the principles guiding the global response. Bhandari's comments brought both levels together: practical collaboration within the region and serious consideration of justice in global climate governance.
The forum in Xiong'an provided the setting for her appeal. Speaking at the 2026 Global Governance Forum, Bhandari addressed both the need for countries in the Himalayan region to coordinate and the responsibility of the international community to take climate justice seriously. Her call underscored the importance she placed on collective action across national borders.
Shared priorities for Himalayan countries
Bhandari's proposals set out a clear agenda for cooperation: countries should share meteorological data, monitor glaciers, develop early warning systems and coordinate disaster response. The focus on these areas reflects her argument that climate-related challenges require collaboration among Himalayan countries, including Nepal, China and India.
Her remarks also tied regional action to the wider debate on global governance. By urging practical cooperation while calling for climate justice, Bhandari framed the issue as one requiring attention both within the Himalayan region and across the global community. The central message at the China forum was that stronger cooperation and serious consideration of climate justice should go hand in hand.
