Global Warming

Nepal has already linked recovery needs to loss-and-damage mechanisms, submitting claims related to the disaster. Bhutan, which has long prioritised environmental conservation, brings complementary experience in balancing development with ecological limits.

The statement crystallises a simple principle: climate justice is not charity. It is accountability. Communities in Sri Lanka still recovering from Ditwah, Pacific Island nations facing existential sea-level rise, African farmers confronting prolonged droughts and South Asian workers enduring extreme heat are not asking for handouts.

The economic burden is substantial: Aedes-borne diseases alone impose an estimated average annual global cost of nearly $1.2 billion through healthcare spending, lost productivity and social disruption.

Experts at UNEP say that the Emissions Gap Report 2026 does not abandon the 1.5°C goal. Instead it reframes the challenge: minimise the height and length of the overshoot and chart a credible return path.