Climate Justice and Nepal's Story
Who caused climate change, who suffers most, and what is owed
Students examine Nepal's position as a highly climate-vulnerable country with minimal historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions, and engage with the philosophical and political question of climate justice — using sensor data as a grounding point for abstract arguments.
सिकाइ उद्देश्यहरू
- Define climate justice and distinguish it from climate science.
- Describe Nepal's specific climate vulnerability and its causes.
- Evaluate at least two philosophical frameworks for assigning responsibility for climate harm.
- Construct a structured argument for or against a specific climate justice position.
पृष्ठभूमि
Climate justice is the argument that the harms of climate change are not distributed according to responsibility for causing it. Those who have emitted the most greenhouse gases — historically, wealthy industrialised nations — have the greatest capacity to adapt to climate change. Those who have emitted the least — small island nations, landlocked mountain countries, sub-Saharan Africa — often face the greatest harm and have the least resources to adapt. This distribution is not random; it tracks the same inequalities of economic power that structured colonialism.
Nepal's climate vulnerability has several specific dimensions. The Himalayas are warming at twice the global average rate. Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) — triggered by rapid glacial retreat — destroy downstream villages with little warning. Monsoon rainfall has become more variable and intense, increasing both flood and drought risk. High-altitude communities dependent on consistent snowfall for water storage are facing water insecurity in a country that was once considered water-rich.
Philosophical frameworks for thinking about responsibility include: polluter pays (those who emitted should compensate those who suffer — but many historical emitters are now dead); capacity to pay (wealthy nations should pay because they can, regardless of historical responsibility); common but differentiated responsibility (the principle enshrined in the UNFCCC — all nations share responsibility but in proportion to their capabilities and historical emissions). None of these frameworks resolves all disputes; the disagreements between them are the central political tensions of international climate negotiations.
विधि
- Read the current MQ-135 reading and reflect: this sensor detects CO₂ and VOCs in this room. What global processes produce CO₂ at a scale that is changing the climate?
- Research: Nepal's share of global CO₂ emissions (approximately 0.027%). Its Human Development Index ranking. Its climate vulnerability ranking. What is the relationship between these three numbers?
- Philosophical frameworks: read descriptions of "polluter pays", "capacity to pay" and "common but differentiated responsibility". Which framework do you find most compelling? Why?
- Stakeholder positions: research the stated positions of Nepal's government, a wealthy G20 nation, and a small island state in UNFCCC negotiations. What are the key differences?
- Write a 500-word essay: "What is Nepal owed for climate harm it did not cause?" Structure your essay as a genuine argument — claim, evidence, counterargument, response.
छलफल प्रश्नहरू
- A family in Humla loses their home to a GLOF caused by glacial retreat. Who is responsible for this harm, and who should pay for their losses?
- Nepal's new airport, dams, and infrastructure will increase its CO₂ emissions. Does development forfeit Nepal's moral claim to climate compensation?
- What is "loss and damage" in climate negotiations, and why do wealthy nations resist committing to it?
कार्यपत्र
1. Nepal emits approximately 0.027% of global CO₂ but is one of the world's 20 most climate-vulnerable countries. Use ONE specific philosophical framework (polluter pays, capacity to pay, or common but differentiated responsibility) to argue what Nepal is owed. Be specific about what should be provided, by whom, and on what timeline. [8 अंक]
उत्तर मार्गदर्शन (शिक्षकका लागि)
Award marks for: correct identification and explanation of the chosen framework; specific claims about what Nepal should receive (adaptation finance, loss and damage payments, technology transfer); identification of who the responsible parties are; a realistic timeline or mechanism. Penalise vague generalisations. Do not penalise students for the position they take — award marks for the quality of the argument.
2. Write a one-paragraph counterargument to the position you took above. What is the strongest case against your position? [4 अंक]
उत्तर मार्गदर्शन (शिक्षकका लागि)
Counterarguments might include: difficulty of attributing specific harms to specific emitters; problems with historical liability when historical emitters are dead; "luxury emissions vs. survival emissions" distinction (poor countries' new emissions are harder to restrict); practical problems with international enforcement of climate obligations. Award marks for engaging genuinely with the counterargument, not for weakening it.
शब्दावली
- Climate Justice
- The principle that the burdens and benefits of climate change and climate action should be distributed equitably across nations and peoples.
- Loss and Damage
- In climate negotiations, the category of climate harms that go beyond what adaptation can prevent — permanent losses that require compensation.
- GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)
- A sudden release of water stored in a glacial lake, caused by failure of a natural ice or moraine dam — a major disaster risk in Nepal.
- Common but Differentiated Responsibility
- The UNFCCC principle that all nations share responsibility for climate change, but in proportion to their historical emissions and current capabilities.
विस्तार
Write a letter from the perspective of a Nepali farmer in Humla to the government of a major historical CO₂ emitter (UK, USA, Germany — your choice). The letter should explain specifically how climate change has affected the farmer's life and make a concrete, specific request for redress. Research the Humla district to make the letter geographically and culturally accurate.