Nepal’s migrant workers eye overseas jobs as climate threats loom

In November, Prem Nepali was on the same plane as delegates headed to Dubai for COP28 . But while they shared an aircraft, their reasons to be in Dubai were entirely different. The dignitaries were travelling to negotiate climate change mitigation with world leaders, whereas Prem was leaving his home because the climate has already changed too much.

Prem is from Bardiya district in midwestern Nepal’s Lumbini province, where communities have long faced drawn-out droughts during the monsoon and winter seasons, and heavy rains at harvest time.