Nepal, Sept. 20 -- Prime Minister Balendra Shah is making his first foreign trip to speak at the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September, and just about everyone everywhere is giving him advice about what he should say.

Going by the content of the PM's address to the nation and social media posts since the 26 August disaster, climate justice will be right at the front and centre of his delivery. Assigning blame for the climate crisis will, no doubt, be a compelling message during the year of a super-charged El Nino. It will also add counterweight to rising climate denialism and rollback on decarbonisation by populist flat-earthers.

Nepal's annual per capita carbon footprint is 0.5 tons - only 0.1% of total global emissions. The...