A case for Nepal: suing major carbon emitters for floods
The Hindu - Opinion · Published 10 November 2026 · Last updated
Nepal's catastrophic floods of August 2026 have sparked debates on establishing climate victim status and pursuing international climate litigation against major global greenhouse gas emitters.
Key points
- Catastrophic floods in Nepal resulted in the deaths of thousands of people in August 2026.
- The severe flooding in Nepal during August 2026 was overwhelmingly attributed to climate change.
- A partially collapsed glacier set off deadly landslides and flash flooding in Nepal in August 2026.
- Nepal only contributes 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions yet remains severely affected by climate change.
- Following the disaster, Nepal demanded $20 million in climate compensation.
- Shisir Khanal, Nepal's foreign minister, called for climate justice and urged major economies to aid recovery.
- The United Nations declared in September 2026 that the long-term 1.5°C temperature target would be missed in a matter of years.
- The EU monitor reported in November 2026 that the year is most likely to be the second-hottest on record.
Background
- In 2022, Pakistan experienced devastating floods that also highlighted severe climate change impacts in South Asia.
- Over the last two decades, climate litigations have been increasingly utilized by plaintiffs in jurisdictions across Europe and the U.S..
- The goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C was established during the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: The Hindu - Opinion