Oil Change International statement on the catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet

Catastrophic flooding has killed hundreds of people in Nepal and Tibet, with many more still missing. Entire villages have been destroyed, homes and infrastructure have been swept away, and communities are cut off as rescue and relief operations continue.

A section of glacier at roughly 5,200 meters elevation collapsed, sending ice, rock, and debris through the valley at speeds of up to 50 meters per second. The resulting floods affected rivers more than 100 kilometers downstream. Reuters’ visual investigation shows the extraordinary scale of the disaster.

The fossil-fueled climate crisis is heating our planet, melting glaciers, and destabilizing entire regions and the communities that depend on them. People who have contributed least to global emissions are being forced to bear its deadliest consequences.

Governments must ensure that immediate relief and long-term recovery are fully funded. Wealthy, high-emitting countries have a particular responsibility to provide grant-based finance for adaptation and loss and damage. Fossil fuel companies must be made to pay for the destruction their products have caused, rather than continuing to collect record profits while communities face mounting losses.

This disaster is another warning of the deadly consequences of continued fossil fuel expansion. Governments must stop approving new fossil fuel projects and accelerate a fast, fair, and funded transition away from fossil fuels to prevent more communities from facing escalating climate disasters.

Oil Change International stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and Tibet.

Support relief efforts: Donate to the Nepal Red Cross response through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.