Global South Demands Action: ‘Make Climate Polluters Pay’ Ahead of COP30

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 25

As world leaders gear up for COP30, communities in the Global South are uniting under the powerful slogan, “Make Climate Polluters Pay.” This movement seeks to hold fossil fuel companies and rich nations accountable for the climate crisis we are facing.

Led by groups like Greenpeace International, the campaign emphasizes urgent actions needed for Loss and Damage, climate finance, and protections for vulnerable communities. With global temperatures crossing the 1.5°C mark for the first time in 2024, the urgency is clear.

In Odisha, India, activists are planning an impactful demonstration. They will reveal a massive “climate bill” made from saree fabric, symbolizing the economic and human costs faced by frontline communities. Experts like Prof. James Rising from the University of Delaware and Dr. Lisa Rennels from Stanford University project that economic damages from CO₂ emissions by just five major oil companies could surpass a staggering $5 trillion between 2016 and 2025.

The Toll of Climate Change in Nepal

Nepal is feeling the heat. By 2023, the country has seen temperatures rise by 0.7°C, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. This warming has led to more floods, landslides, droughts, and rapid glacier melt. Himalayan glaciers are now disappearing 65% faster than they did just a decade ago, jeopardizing water supplies for millions.

In the last ten years, Nepal has faced severe climate-related disasters:

• In 2017, floods in Terai impacted 1.7 million people, costing $584 million (about 2% of the GDP).
• A 2021 flash flood in Melamchi obliterated key infrastructure projects.
• Monsoon floods in 2024 resulted in over 100 deaths and displacement of thousands across 11 districts, leading to damages estimated at NPR 46.68 billion (around $350 million).
• Annual losses from climate-related disasters are now around $270 million, with floods accounting for nearly 60%, according to the World Bank.
• Agriculture, crucial for 65% of the population, faces increasing threats from unpredictable weather, while urban areas struggle with flash floods and disease outbreaks due to rising temperatures and rapid urbanization.

The campaign highlights that the Global South is bearing the brunt of a crisis largely caused by wealthier nations. It stresses that major polluters should take financial responsibility for the destruction linked to their carbon emissions.

As disasters become more frequent across South Asia—floods, glacier collapse, and extreme weather—the call to “Make Climate Polluters Pay” is likely to resonate strongly at COP30.

Recent data from the United Nations indicates that climate-related events have displaced over 50 million people globally in recent years. With the stakes so high, the focus on accountability at COP30 could help shape a more equitable path forward.

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