Himalayan tragedy points to need for new global alliances around ecological governance

Recent devastating flash floods in the Himalayas (India and Nepal), linked to climate change and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), highlight the urgent need for new global alliances around ecological governance. Nepal, severely impacted, is advocating for global climate compensation and criticizes the ineffectiveness of current multilateral governance like the Paris Agreement. The article proposes a 'polar solidarity' connecting the Himalayas (the 'Third Pole') with the Arctic and Antarctic regions to address shared existential challenges of global warming, emphasizing a shift towards placing ecology at the center of diplomacy and moving beyond traditional nation-state models in South Asia.