Center for Global Mountain Safeguard Research - News & Events - New Study Links Rising Disaster Mortality in Nepal to Climate Change
New Study Links Rising Disaster Mortality in Nepal to Climate Change
The GLOMOS Programme is proud to highlight a new research publication led by Senior Research Associate Dr. Dipesh Chapagain.
- English
This study, titled "Understanding the Role of Climate Change in Disaster Mortality: Empirical Evidence from Nepal" and published in Climate Risk Management, investigates the impacts of climate-related hazards on disaster mortality, emphasizing the role of climate change in escalating these challenges.
Using 30 years of subnational data from Nepal (1992–2021), the research reveals that extreme precipitation events—linked to climate change—are a significant driver of increased flood and landslide mortality, particularly in western Nepal. For example, a one-unit rise in maximum daily precipitation was associated with a 33% increase in flood mortality. Conversely, vulnerability indicators like higher per capita income or lower social vulnerability index were found to significantly reduce mortality rates.
The findings underline the urgent need for targeted disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, particularly in highly vulnerable regions like western Nepal, where climate change is intensifying hazards. The study calls for increased investments in adaptation measures and social resilience to mitigate the escalating mortality rates associated with extreme weather events.
For further details, the article is available here.
