CLIMATE CRISIS IN NEPAL: Rising disasters, vulnerable communities, and urgent need for action

Global warming is impacting the entire world. However, its effects vary worldwide depending on geographical structure, location, and other environmental factors.

Coastal countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, and the Maldives face different challenges compared to mountainous countries such as Nepal and Bhutan.

According to the World Economic Forum, the global ocean levels have witnessed a consistent rise for more than a century, with an increase of 15-20 centimeters recorded during the 20th century.

A 2023 study, titled “Global Protection from Tropical Cyclones by Coastal Ecosystems – Past, Present, and Under Climate Change,” indicates that annually, sixty-eight million individuals residing in low-lying coastal regions worldwide face the threat of tropical cyclones.

The findings reveal that, over the past three decades, the degradation of coastal ecosystems has been the main factor contributing to the loss of natural protection for 1.4 million people each year.

In a similar vein, countries with mountainous terrain are confronted with various climate-related calamities, including floods, droughts, landslides, lightning strikes, and snowmelt-induced avalanches.

Likewise, The Mountain Institute finds that Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) glaciers disappeared 65% faster in 2011-2020, compared to the previous decade. It has been estimated that the glaciers in HKH could lose up to 80% of their current volume by the end of this century.

As the Hindu Kush Himalaya region is experiencing the melting of glaciers, it is affecting water resources, wildlife, and food security.

This impacts approximately 1.3 billion people across eight countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and China. Among these countries, Nepal is the most vulnerable to climate-induced hazards due to its geography.

Nepal has suffered significant economic losses and human casualties every year due to landslides, lightning, floods, wildfires, and droughts – many of which are linked to climate change.

A recent example is the heavy rainfall on September 27 and 28 last year, which resulted in over 250 deaths, 178 injuries, and eighteen missing people in just two days.

Moreover, Nepal incurred losses amounting to $339.93 million during the two days. During the 2024 monsoon season, 495 people lost their lives. This is a substantial number.

Although floods and landslides attract significant public attention and policy initiatives, lightning remains an overlooked yet lethal threat in Nepal.

This phenomenon causes substantial loss of life and property each year, yet it is seldom addressed in public safety communications or preventive strategies.

Globally, lightning claims the lives of approximately 24,000 individuals and injures nearly 240,000 annually. The situation in Nepal mirrors this global trend.

Data from Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reveal that from 2015 to 2025, lightning resulted in the deaths of 811 individuals and injuries to 2,666 others, averaging eighty-two fatalities per year.

Among the deceased, 50.8% were male, 35.3% female, and 14% were of unknown gender. The economic impact during this period is estimated to be around ninety million rupees.

There exists a direct relationship between increasing temperatures and the frequency of lightning strikes. A study published in the journal Science in 2014 indicated that a one-degree increase correlates with a 12% rise in lightning activity.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Nepal, the rainfall in 2024 set a record in Nepal’s history, with 624mm of rainfall recorded in 24 hours in the western part of the country.

According to Nepal government data, over five years, 2,050 people lost their lives due to landslides, floods, lightning, fire, wildfire, and glacial lake outbursts.

The data show that every year 410 people lose their lives due to the hazards. Marginalized and impoverished communities withstand the worst of climate change and disasters, including floods, landslides, droughts, and wildfires.

Numerous studies reveal that within these groups, women, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities are particularly susceptible to adverse effects.

Although climate change influences all regions, its effects are not consistent; they differ based on the adaptive capacity and vulnerability of various households and communities.

Research indicates that groups facing economic, social, and educational disadvantages – especially women, Dalits, indigenous populations, minorities, and those residing in remote areas – suffer the most significant impacts.

Communities that rely heavily on natural resources are particularly vulnerable to disasters, as their livelihoods are increasingly jeopardized by the impacts of climate change.

With few alternative options for survival, these communities encounter greater risks.

In nations such as Nepal, where social and cultural inequalities are deeply entrenched, women’s ability to adapt is further compromised by gender disparities, rendering them more severely impacted by the effects of climate change.

As aridity increases, the frequency of forest fires in Nepal is also rising. Last year saw a considerable number of forest fires.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2025, Nepal recorded 16,792 forest and other fires, resulting in 495 deaths.

Among them, 285 were women. Of the injured, there were 1,038 women and 1,109 men. This data highlights that women are not only more likely to be affected by fires but also suffer disproportionately from other climate-induced challenges.

A key reason is their direct dependence on natural resources. In Nepal, approximately 74% of women are engaged in agriculture, a sector severely impacted by climate change.

According to the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, currently, 43.5% of farmland in Nepal lacks irrigation facilities, making agriculture heavily reliant on rainfall.

Droughts and floods have disrupted irrigation systems, leading to reduced crop yields and increased food insecurity. This, in turn, has exacerbated poverty, malnutrition, and other health issues in marginalized communities.

Additionally, earthquakes, floods, and landslides have worsened the shortage of drinking water, further aggravating health concerns.

In rural areas, firewood remains the primary source of energy for cooking, and farmers rely on forests for livestock farming. However, due to frequent fires, there is a growing scarcity of firewood, fodder, and straw.

Since women are primarily responsible for cooking and household chores, they are directly impacted by these shortages.

The depletion of water sources due to droughts and the destruction of water pipelines by fires further burden women, who must spend more time fetching water, limiting their ability to engage in other productive activities.

Many poor and marginalized families, who often lack land ownership, build thatched houses near forests and rivers, making them highly vulnerable to floods and fires.

In recent years, women have increasingly engaged in collecting, cultivating, and processing non-timber forest products, such as medicinal plants, wood crafts, and aromatic oils, through community forests.

These activities have helped them gain economic independence. However, climate change and forest fires pose a growing threat to their livelihoods.

The Nepalese Constitution provides equal rights for all women, marginalized groups, and people from diverse social backgrounds, and it establishes the foundation for gender equality and social inclusion.

Moreover, the Nepalese government has developed a number of policies to reduce the impact of climate change.

The National Climate Change Policy 2019 has focused on good governance, gender and social inclusion, and mainstreaming climate resilience into policies, institutions, and programs for enhancing sustainable livelihoods.

Over the past decade, the infrastructure sector has also suffered greatly from floods and landslides. It is imperative for Nepal to reassess its development strategies and prioritize the construction of climate-resilient infrastructure to mitigate future risks.

Sagarmatha dialogue and Nepal’s priorities

Nepal is set to host the Sagarmatha Dialogue in Kathmandu from May 16-18 this year. This forum aims to highlight the challenges faced by mountainous regions and the impact of climate change on these areas.

Such gatherings play a crucial role in raising awareness, and Nepal has previously organized similar forums, including an international-level event focused on climate issues last year in Kathmandu.

While these events contribute to awareness, they are insufficient on their own.

Nepal’s primary focus should extend beyond merely hosting events to include significant internal development efforts aimed at addressing climate change.

Data indicates that rural populations are significantly impacted by climate-related disasters, yet many do not receive compensation from the government.

Recent instances in Melamchi, Manang, and Mustang illustrate the adverse effects of such disasters. Furthermore, foreign aid has either not reached the affected individuals or has been ineffective.

Mukesh Pokhrel is an environment and climate Journalist based in Kathmandu, Nepal, and serves as the Nepal coordinator for www.theclimatewatch.com. He is a Fellow of the Singapore National University for the Asia Journalism Fellowship, as well as the Earth Journalism Network for Climate Change Media Partnership Program in 2021. Pokhrel is also a member of the Oxford Journalism Network in the UK.

Samjhana Wagle Bhattarai is currently pursuing her PhD at Tribhuvan University and has been a faculty member teaching Social Inclusion and Gender Studies at Kathmandu University since 2020. She has authored six research articles published in various peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, she has contributed over 200 op-ed pieces focusing on gender and women’s empowerment in prominent national newspapers in Nepal. With a decade of experience, she has actively participated in numerous research projects as a GESI expert.