Nepal, with its breathtaking Himalayan peaks and diverse ecosystems, is known for its natural beauty and cultural richness. However, in recent years, this mountainous country has faced escalating challenges due to climate change that are threatening lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems. The past decade (2015–2025) has been marked by an increasingly alarming pattern of climate-related disasters—fires, floods, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods—that have exposed the vulnerability of Nepal's fragile environment and society. Yet these trials also underscore the urgent necessity for robust climate adaptation, sustainable development, and global cooperation.
Understanding Nepal’s Climate Vulnerability
Nepal’s status as a least developed, mountainous, and landlocked country compounds its vulnerability. Its diverse topography ranges from low-lying Terai plains to the highest peaks on Earth, creating microclimates—but also exposing populations to varied and extreme climate impacts. Socio-economic factors like widespread poverty (a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line) and reliance on climate-sensitive agriculture magnify the risks.
Analysis of historical data reveals a clear warming trend. Between 1975 and 2005, the average temperature increased by 0.06°C per year, while rainfall decreased by approximately 3.7 mm monthly per decade. Projections indicate that by the 2060s, temperatures could rise 1.3°C to 3.8°C, with precipitation decreasing by 10 to 20 percent across the country. Concurrently, glaciers are retreating rapidly—with estimated ice reserves shrinking by 29% between 1977 and 2010, and glacier lakes increasing by 11%. This combination increases the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and other water-related disasters.
Major Climate-Related Events in the Past Decade
The last 10 years have demonstrated the real and devastating impacts of climate change in Nepal through a range of disasters affecting diverse aspects of society and the environment:
- Fires, Floods, and Landslides (2016–2025): With almost 50,000 disaster incidents recorded between 2016 and early 2025, Nepal’s landscape tells a story of rising climate risks. Fires often occur during prolonged dry seasons intensified by warming, destroying homes and forests. Floods and landslides linked to sporadic but heavy monsoon rains caused widespread social and economic losses. These events highlight how climate variability disrupts ecosystems, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
- Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) – Humla District, May 2025: One of the most alarming recent examples occurred in May 2025 when glacial lakes in Humla burst, sending destructive floods downstream. GLOFs are directly linked to accelerated glacial melting due to rising temperatures and represent a growing threat to high-mountain communities and infrastructure.
- Extreme Rainfall and Monsoon Flooding – September 2024: Nepal was struck by unprecedented monsoon rainfall in 2024, resulting in the deaths of over 230 people and the displacement of more than 10,000 households. The floods caused direct economic losses exceeding $335 million, illustrating the escalating nature of extreme weather events.
- Earthquake and Climate Vulnerabilities – November 2023 Jajarkot Earthquake: Though impacting primarily through geological forces, the Jajarkot earthquake compounded vulnerabilities created by climate change, destroying more than 65,000 homes. This overlapping of hazards amplifies risks faced by already fragile communities.
- Melamchi River Flood and Sediment Flow – June to July 2021: The Melamchi River in Sindhupalchok district exhibited unusual flooding and sediment-laden flows despite no upstream rainfall. This abnormal river activity is thought to result from climate-driven changes in watershed dynamics, signaling new kinds of water-related disasters linked to climate change.
Implications for Nepal’s Environment and Society
The cumulative effects of these disasters reveal far-reaching consequences:
- Agriculture, the backbone of Nepal’s economy employing about 70% of the population, faces major disruptions. Erratic rainfall patterns, droughts, and soil erosion reduce crop yields and threaten food security. Reports estimate that weather-related events cause up to 90% of Nepal’s crop losses, with drought alone accounting for 40%.
- Hydropower, a key sector for energy and development, suffers from climate impacts such as low dry-season river flows and damage to infrastructure resulting in increased operational costs and energy shortages.
- Infrastructure including roads, bridges, and trade routes endure repeated damage during floods and landslides, impeding economic growth and community connectivity.
- Thousands of people have been displaced repeatedly due to floods and landslides, often relocating to new areas that expose them to fresh hazards.
- Health risks increase, including heat stress, malnutrition, and outbreaks of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue that expand into higher altitude regions.
- Biodiversity suffers from habitat changes, the spread of invasive species, and disruptions to traditional ecological knowledge.
Nepal’s economic assessments estimate that climate change currently costs the country 1.5 to 2 percent of its GDP annually, with potential rises to 2–3% by mid-century if no adequate measures are taken.
Nepal’s Response and Future Pathways
Despite these harsh realities, Nepal is demonstrating leadership in climate action relative to its development status. The country has announced ambitious targets, including reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2045. It has developed a Long-term Strategy focusing on low carbon, climate-resilient development, and set goals to increase forest cover and protect vulnerable populations.
Efforts on the ground include strengthened disaster preparedness and early-warning systems, climate-smart agricultural practices, watershed management, and community-based adaptation. Nepal’s National Adaptation Plans and Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement reflect its determination to mitigate and adapt.
However, given Nepal’s limited resources and global emissions responsibility, international support remains critical to enhance capacity-building, technology transfer, and financing.
Conclusion: Urgency for Collective Action
Nepal’s experience over the past decade is a poignant reminder that climate change is not a distant threat but a present reality with profound social, economic, and environmental impacts. The country’s unique geography and socio-economic challenges make it one of the most vulnerable nations globally.
The landmark disasters—fires, floods, landslides, glacial lake outburst floods—are wake-up calls for meaningful climate adaptation and mitigation. They also underline the necessity for inclusive development policies that prioritize the resilience of marginalized and indigenous communities disproportionately affected.
As Nepal moves forward, it is imperative for all stakeholders—government, civil society, international partners, and citizens—to collaborate in building a greener, safer, and more sustainable future. Protecting Nepal’s natural heritage and people calls for determined actions today to safeguard generations tomorrow.
At Urban Pulse Nepal, we stand committed to raising awareness, promoting sustainable practices, and supporting resilient communities in the face of climate change. Together, we can harness innovation, traditional wisdom, and global cooperation to turn these challenges into opportunities for lasting impact.
References:
- https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/nepal/
- https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/NDC/2022-06/Nepal%20First%20NDC.pdf
- https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envstats/compendia/Nepal_ClimateChangeRelatedIndicatorsofNepal_2022.pdf
- https://www.climate-transparency.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Nepal-CP2020.pdf
- https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/246135/WHO-FWC-PHE-EPE-15.27-eng.pdf
- https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/nepal
- http://climate.mohp.gov.np/attachments/article/167/Second%20Nationally%20Determined%20Contribution%20(NDC)%20-%202020.pdf
- https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/RCRC_IFRC-Country-assessments-NEPAL-3.pdf
- https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/unityj/article/download/75697/58042/219319
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