Nepal opened a major climate summit on Friday, urging global unity to protect the world's mountain ecosystems, as climate change rapidly melts glaciers across the Himalayas.

The three-day international conference in Kathmandu, titled “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity,” brought together global leaders and experts to tackle the growing environmental risks facing high-altitude regions.

Speaking at the opening, Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli warned that glacial melt is already exposing mountain faces and increasing the threat of avalanches and landslides. "From the lap of Sagarmatha (Everest), we send a loud and clear message: protecting mountains is protecting humanity, our seas, and our planet," Oli said.

Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks, and warming temperatures are rapidly accelerating ice loss across the region.

Among the key international voices at the summit was Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President. He reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to global climate goals and thanked Nepal for hosting the event.

“We must think of the hundreds of millions of inhabitants living in mountain communities and the billions of people affected by what is happening there. We must move forward again in solidarity for a greener world,” Babayev said.

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