00:00On August 26, a huge part of Nepal's glaciers collapsed into the valley,
00:04triggering a deadly flood that killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands more missing.
00:11Experts say that while climate change may not be the sole trigger of the glacier collapse,
00:15ice melts caused by global warming may have contributed to the disaster.
00:20Nepal's snow-capped mountains had lost nearly one-third of their ice in just over 30 years,
00:26according to the United Nations.
00:28Its glaciers are melting at a rapid rate, 65% faster in the last decade compared to the previous one.
00:36One of the biggest drivers of global warming is carbon dioxide emissions.
00:41But according to data from the global carbon budget,
00:44Nepal is one of the least contributors to carbon emissions.
00:47In 2024, the country accounted for just 0.05% of the total global CO2 emissions.
00:54So why does a country that emits less carbon dioxide pay a bigger price for climate change?
01:04According to the 2026 Global Climate Risk Index, Nepal ranks 6th among the countries most affected by extreme weather events
01:13brought by climate change.
01:15The Philippines ranks 7th.
01:18Meanwhile, the top two global emitters in 2024,
01:21China with 31.84% share in the global carbon dioxide emissions,
01:27and the United States with 12.71% share,
01:31rank relatively lower in the Climate Risk Index.
01:35Chuck Baklagon of Climate Advocacy Group 350 Pilipinas explained that the economic and financial resources of these top emitters contribute
01:43to their low rank in the Risk Index.
01:45They are more wealthy, they are endowed with more resources, financial and otherwise.
01:51High emitting nations also possess the financial capital.
01:56They are able to resiliently develop their infrastructure,
02:00their adaptive capacities to buffer their populations from the immediate impacts of the disasters caused by the crisis is lower
02:09for them.
02:10In the case of developing countries such as Nepal and the Philippines,
02:14economic and financial resources are limited to address the impacts of climate change, increasing their vulnerability.
02:21A country has to devote a certain portion of its national budget for disaster relief and response.
02:29But what if there is a trend of ever-increasing frequency and intensity of those extreme weather events?
02:37That means that small part would be immediately depleted.
02:42Other factors such as geographic location and dependence on climate patterns
02:47also play a role on how severe the impacts will be for certain countries like Nepal and the Philippines.
02:53That also reveals why climate change is an issue of inequality.
02:59Because beyond the weather, if you look at it, it also means that while climate change affects everyone,
03:07its impacts are not evenly distributed.
03:10And because much of the development of those countries are contingent on,
03:14they are, you know, they have climate-dependent livelihoods.
03:17In the Philippines, agriculture is very dependent on climate.
03:20In Nepal, the same goes.
03:22Those countries, their exposure is higher.
03:24And that compounds the climate shocks despite contributing negligibly low emissions.
03:29To address this gap in the global context, it is important to hold the top emitters accountable,
03:34not only in reducing their carbon emissions,
03:36but in demanding that they help other countries adapt to climate change impacts.
03:41They have the historical and moral obligation to ensure that finance happens
03:49for those that are, one, needing to adapt or to increase adaptive capacities for the impacts of climate change.
03:57And I think that's how justice should be manifested as well,
04:01is on how do we actually distribute the resources
04:05so that it would be provided to those that need it the most.
04:10For more information, visit www.fema.gov.au and www.fema.gov.au and www.fema.gov.au and www
04:13.fema.gov.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and
04:17www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and
04:20www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and
04:20www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and
04:21www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and www.fema.au and
04:22www.fema.au and www.fema.
