Nepal is a geographically fragile country, and this fragility is compounded by a disproportionate share of the global climate crisis. Situated in one of the world's most seismically active regions, Nepal is acutely prone to natural disasters. It ranks 11th and 16th globally for earthquake and multi-hazard vulnerability, respectively. Shifting rainfall patterns, drying mountain springs, and accelerating glacial melt mean that more than 80 percent of Nepal’s population is at risk of natural and climate-induced hazards. With agriculture employing roughly 60 percent of the country’s workforce, climate change is not a future threat; it is an immediate threat to human survival. 

The urgency of these compounding risks was powerfully highlighted by the catastrophic rock-and-ice avalanche that triggered the devastating Rasuwa flash floods on 26 August 2026. Tragedies like these reveal the reality of how a warming world destabilizes high-altitude environments, turning climate change from a theoretical future risk into a present-day crisis.

Oxfam’s strategy is to confront climate injustice by transforming the systems that places unequal burden on people’s lives, by strengthening natural landscape, strengthening local institutions for accountable services, promoting inclusive governance across water, food, and land systems and enabling people’s voice and agency so that resilience is built more fairly. Those most affected should have greater power, protection, and voice.

Moving beyond immediate crisis response, Oxfam actively collaborates with local
communities, civil society organizations, and local governments to mitigate risks. Through
targeted climate adaptation initiatives, Oxfam empowers vulnerable populations to
transition from disaster relief toward proactive, long-term climate adaptation.