Flood-damaged Nepal wants help from the global climate Loss and Damage Fund – but it’s waiting, along with 118 other countries

Nepal is seeking $20 million from the international Loss and Damage Fund after a glacial collapse on Aug. 26 triggered floods that killed more than 1,400 people and destroyed over 10% of the country's hydropower capacity. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal called it a matter of 'legal and moral liability,' not charity, since Nepal's own emissions are negligible.

The fund, created in 2022, has received only about $250-300 million of the $820 million pledged by wealthy countries, and has disbursed nothing despite requests from 119 nations totaling $2.8 billion. At its June 2026 meeting the board considered four funding requests and approved none; the U.S. withdrew its support for the fund in 2025.

Nepal's finance minister estimates the country actually needs $4-5 billion to rebuild, nearly a tenth of its national economy. Eight of the fund's 26 board members have requested an emergency meeting over Nepal's disaster; the board's next scheduled meeting isn't until December 2026.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.