Climate Change: A pressing challenge for Nepal’s new government

Elevating water security to the same level as job creation or energy targets is vital.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has secured a decisive victory with a near two-thirds majority in Nepal’s general elections held earlier this month. This outcome has sparked widespread optimism for a stable, youth-led government that will tackle the most chronic, ingrained challenges, including the economic growth, plaguing our country for over three decades. The party’s manifesto clearly outlines its priorities through specific, quantifiable commitments—creating a targeted number of jobs, generating a set amount of electricity in megawatts, or elevating per capita income to a defined level. These measurable goals enable the formulation of concrete plans and empower citizens to monitor progress and hold the government accountable based on tangible outcomes. However, when it comes to climate change, a severe, existential threat to vulnerable nations like Nepal, the pledge is not as specific.