‘It destroyed everything’: Nepal seeks climate justice after glacial collapse, says rich nations must answer for Himalayan catastrophe

KATHMANDU, Sept 3 — A wall of icy debris from a glacial collapse on the China-Nepal border inundated Pemba Chhring Tamang's village, destroying his life's work. "The flood was one like I had never seen before," the 57-year-old survivor lamented. This August 26 disaster constituted one of Nepal's worst climate-linked catastrophes, prompting anger and grief.

The massive wave of debris killed over 1,200 people and left more than 4,750 missing in Nepal and China's Tibet region, destroying towns, roads, bridges, and multiple hydropower dams. Rescuers continue searching for survivors and the deceased as helicopters deliver food and medicine to those left homeless. While the exact cause remains unclear, climate change is exacerbating the risk of such disasters worldwide.

Nepal, a country that has contributed minimally to greenhouse gas emissions, is grappling with the prospect of billions in reconstruction costs. Tashi Lhazom, a Nepali climate activist, questioned why Nepal, among the most climate-vulnerable countries, should suffer such a disaster. "What has Nepal done to deserve this?" he asked.

The glaciologist Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa urged wealthy industrialized nations to accept responsibility for their role in global emissions. Scientists at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have observed that the Himalayan region is warming roughly twice as fast as any other place on Earth, leading to cascading disasters.

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah emphasized the need for long-term international support to adapt to the rapidly changing mountain environment, calling for a perspective of climate justice. The United Nations has launched a "loss and damage" fund, though it has not yet begun distributing its limited cash. The disaster underscores the urgent need for data-sharing mechanisms to warn of future catastrophes, especially as glaciers across the wider Hindu Kush-Himalayan region are a lifeline for millions in the mountains and beyond.