As a first step toward climate justice, the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) has set aside $20 million for Nepal. However, the amount is significantly less than what the country needs to recover from the August 26 flash flood in Bhotekoshi. According to official estimates, the disaster resulted in at least 1,455 deaths, around 7,000 injuries, and 5,285 people reported missing. Families were uprooted and livelihoods destroyed as the flood washed away villages, highways, bridges, and hydropower infrastructure. Nepal estimates that $4.78 billion will be needed for rehabilitation and reconstruction. The proposed allocation covers less than 0.5 percent of that amount. The decision marks the first time the fund's board has set aside resources for a country seeking assistance for climate change-related loss and damage. However, Nepal has yet to receive the money. There is no fixed timeline for disbursement, and the government must first submit a plan for approval. The announcement offers little immediate relief to communities cut off from essential services, farmers whose land has been devastated, and families who have lost their homes. The speed with which the funds are disbursed to those affected is now critical. Nepal has a strong case for international assistance. Despite contributing less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, its mountain communities are increasingly at risk from climate change. Wealthy nations that have contributed the most to global warming bear a greater responsibility to help vulnerable countries cope with its consequences.
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