How Nepal can reshape global response to climate catastrophes

The country has moral authority and political visibility in a rare combination. The question is what it proposes to the world.

Following the devastating floods last month that tore through settlements across several districts, the wave of support from global leaders and citizens has been extraordinary. It reflects the standing Nepal has built over decades: in UN peacekeeping, in intergovernmental forums, and most recently through a political renewal the rest of the world watched with real interest. The sympathy and support for Nepal arrived quickly because Nepal had credibility to draw on.