The NGO Federation of Nepal (NFN), which represents more than 6,700 non-governmental organizations across Nepal, has formally urged UN Secretary-General António Guterres to launch a United Nations Decade of Climate Emergency Action.

NFN President Arjun Bhattarai presented the appeal to UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal Lila Pieters Yahla following a series of consultations with civil society organizations and communities engaged in climate justice, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian response, and sustainable development.

The appeal cites the devastating flash flood along the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on 26 August 2026 as a stark reminder of Nepal’s growing vulnerability to climate-related disasters. It calls for a fundamental shift from repeated emergency relief toward long-term strategies focused on resilient recovery, climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and sustained climate action.

Nepali civil society is also calling for increased climate finance, meaningful participation by affected communities and civil society organizations in decision-making, and stronger international support for climate-vulnerable countries such as Nepal. The appeal further emphasizes the need to advance the Mountain Agenda, including the Living Sagarmatha initiative, and strengthen effective early warning systems to help communities anticipate and respond to emerging threats.

During the handover, Bhattarai also presented a separate appeal from global civil society organizations expressing support for Nepal’s call for stronger climate action.

Yahla welcomed the initiative and acknowledged the urgency of the climate challenges confronting Nepal. She underscored the importance of evidence-based documentation and advocacy to advance the Mountain Agenda and strengthen early warning systems. She also expressed her commitment to supporting civil society efforts to promote climate justice.

The appeal marks a significant step in Nepal’s efforts to elevate civil society voices in the global climate agenda. By calling for a dedicated decade of climate emergency action, Nepali civil society is urging the international community to move beyond short-term disaster response and commit to sustained, equitable, and locally informed action that protects vulnerable communities and strengthens their resilience to climate-related risks.