Nepal signs the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action

Recognizing the growing impact of the climate crisis and its disproportionate effects on children, the Government of Nepal joined more than 78 countries worldwide in endorsing the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action. The Government’s endorsement of the Declaration was announced during the National Climate Summit on 29 October 2026. The official handover of the signed Declaration subsequently took place at the Nepal Pavilion at COP31, where it was presented by the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, Dr. Rajendra KC, in the presence of the Ministry’s Secretary, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Mishra, and UNICEF’s Global Technical Director of Climate and Sustainability, Mr. Gernot Laganda.

Climate change is one of the defining challenges facing Nepal. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, floods, landslides, droughts and glacial hazards a… These impacts place additional pressure on essential services that children depend on, including health, education, water and sanitation, nutrition and social protection. The Government of Nepal is working to ensure that these challenges are addressed through key climate policies and plans, including the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which recognize the importance of building resilience for children, young people and communities.

“The Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action is particularly important in the context of Nepal”, said Dr. Rajendra KC, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment. "Climate change affects children and young people differently, with children being especially vulnerable to its impacts. We witnessed this firsthand during the recent Bhotekoshi floods, which tragically claimed the lives of children and disrupted the education of many others. By signing this Declaration, the Government of Nepal demonstrates its commitment to safeguarding the rights, protection and wellbeing of children in the face of climate-related disasters.”

By endorsing the Declaration, Nepal reinforces its commitment to building resilience for future generations while strengthening inclusive approaches to climate action. The endorsement also reflects the country's efforts to advance climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, while promoting meaningful participation of young people in climate-related processes and decision-making.

"Children and young people are among those most affected by climate change, despite contributing the least to its causes," said Gernot Laganda, UNICEF's Global Technical Director of Climate and Sustainability. "This endorsement reflects Nepal's commitment to ensuring that climate responses help protect essential services, strengthen resilience and create opportunities for young people to contribute to climate solutions."

The Declaration is the first global commitment focused on putting children and young people at the center of climate action. It supports governments to better consider children's needs and voices in climate policies and decisions. UNICEF is working with governments, including Nepal, to help turn these commitments into real action for children.

"Young people are not only living with the impacts of climate change today, we are also helping shape the solutions”, says Jayanti Bam, UNICEF Nepal Youth Advocate. “Nepal's endorsement of this Declaration is an important step towards ensuring that children and youth have a meaningful voice in climate decision-making. When young people are listened to, empowered and included, climate action becomes stronger, more innovative and more effective."