While Switzerland, a rich and developed country, has the resources to address such disasters, the story is very different in developing areas.
In August 2024, the village of Thame in the Everest region experienced a similar catastrophe. However, with fewer economic resources and limited help, the town was left in ruins, with 135 people being displaced, including 40 children. Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged the government to do everything possible to rescue people and provide relief, emphasizing the vulnerability of mountain communities to climate change.
These events highlight the issue of climate (in)justice. Vulnerable communities who have historically contributed the least to climate change are disproportionately affected by it. The impacts, ranging from social and economic disruptions to health crises, are often most severe because they have fewer resources to adapt. The climate crisis amplifies existing inequalities, making it all the more critical to address these systemic issues.
“We are facing consequences for a problem for which we are not responsible. I have strongly raised this issue at the UNGA and COP28, calling for climate justice. The recent GLOFs in Thame in the Everest region, have caused significant damage and put lives at risk,” explained Dahal.
Between 2010 and 2020, mortality from floods, droughts, and storms was 15 times higher in developing regions. Climate justice calls for the burden of addressing climate change to be shared according to responsibilities and resources. There are many aspects of climate justice, including structural, socioeconomic and intergenerational inequalities. Even within the same country, the impacts of climate change may be felt unevenly due to inequalities based on ethnicity, gender, age and socioeconomic status. For instance, Indigenous Peoples, who help protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity, are facing growing dangers to their lives, jobs, and traditional ways of living.
As we continue exploring the Alps, we invite you to reflect on these challenges. Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it’s a matter of social justice. How we choose to respond will shape the future of our planet and the lives of those who inhabit it. Let’s work together to ensure that the future is fair, safe, just, and sustainable for all.
