Rising Climate Risks

Climate change refers to significant long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns. Its impacts are being observed across the globe, from the melting of glaciers in Antarctica to unusual rainfall in the Arabian Desert. Climate change has become a major global concern, and the declaration of 21 March 2025 as the first-ever World Glaciers Day highlights how rapidly climate change is affecting Earth’s ecosystems.

The melting of glaciers is the second-largest contributor to global sea-level rise, posing serious risks to coastal communities and natural environments. Ever since humans reached the peak of industrialisation, human activities have become a major cause of global warming. The burning of fossil fuels plays a key role. When coal, oil, or gas is burnt to produce energy, it releases greenhouse gases.

Carbon dioxide is the main gas released into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases act like a blanket around the Earth, trapping heat and warming the planet. Excessive release of these gases from vehicles, power plants, factories, and other sources has significantly increased global temperature. As the earth’s atmosphere heats up, it holds more water, changing weather patterns and fuelling more severe rainfall events. 

At the same time, warmer air causes more moisture to evaporate from the planet’s surface in dry weather, resulting in more frequent and intense droughts and heat waves, leading to “hot gets hotter and warm gets warmer”. Pollutants not only severely impact public health but also the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally. People who are more prone to suffer from the result are the ones contributing the least.

The low-income countries or the marginalised communities fall under the radar of suffering. Addressing climate change's health burden underscores the equity that those most responsible for emissions should bear the highest adaptation costs, emphasising health equity and vulnerable group prioritisation. Inequities make these communities more vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change.

In Nepal’s context, global warming has started the damage. Melting of the Himalayan glaciers that affects the water supply. Changes in weather patterns that have led to unpredictable weather conditions. Urban growth, deforestation in surrounding areas, and increased use of vehicles add to the problem, making the city more vulnerable. One of the causes is forest fires, not limited to Nepal but also from India and other neighbouring countries. Air pollution and climate change are interlinked, putting Kathmandu in the red zone.

Global warming directly affects human physical health, indicating the air quality index of Kathmandu has become a risk to the public. WHO has consistently found air pollution to be the leading risk factor for death and disability in Nepal. According to the State of Global Art, published air pollution was directly linked to 125 deaths in Nepal in 2021.

Scientists have claimed humans are responsible for the damage done in 200 years. The average temperature of Earth is about 1.5°C warmer than in the 1800s. Nearly 200 countries in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement have agreed to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. There are serious consequences, such as exposure to extreme heat, rising sea levels, declining biodiversity, droughts, and more. Major changes need to be taken by high-level bodies, but individuals can help by eating less red meat, planting trees, saving water, and following the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle).

St.Xaivers College, Kathmandu