Nepal has announced it will use a newly published study that attributes last month’s large flood on the Nepal-Tibet border at least in part to climate change as the basis for a claim for millions of dollars from a United Nations-managed climate disaster fund.
The study, released in the wake of the disaster, concludes that climate change was a likely contributing factor to the flooding along the shared border. Nepalese authorities say they will submit the research as evidence in support of an application for financial assistance from the UN fund.
Linking extreme weather events to human-driven climate change is increasingly relied upon by governments seeking compensation or support for recovery. Nepal’s move underscores how scientific attribution studies are being used to bolster claims for international aid after climate-related disasters.
Details of the proposed claim, including the exact sum sought and the timetable for filing, have not been released. The use of attribution science in formal requests to UN mechanisms marks a notable step in how vulnerable countries may pursue resources to respond to climate-linked losses and damages.
The UN fund was established to provide support for countries facing severe climate-related impacts; applications typically require evidence that links the event to climate risks. How the fund evaluates and decides on such claims will be closely watched by other nations confronting climate-driven hazards.