by Deeptangsu Rauniar

The August heat in Kathmandu this year felt endless. As I rode pillion on a ride-hailing scooter, it pressed on me at every turn. For someone born and raised in the Himalayan capital, this heat felt unusual. The driver, a woman named Meena, began to talk—perhaps to take her mind off the traffic and the weather.

She asked what I did. I told her I was studying in India and had come home for a short visit. She sighed and said, “You won’t return. You’ll be one of the 3.5 million Nepalis—about 14% of our population—who go abroad. Their only mission is to earn money, enjoy life, and send a bit back. And you’ll feel proud you’re contributing—after all, remittances make up about a quarter of our economy year after year (World Bank, 2023).” Then she added softly, with pride, “But I am not leaving.”

Staying, however, is not easy. Meena earns about Rs 1,000 a day, just enough to support her family of four. “Usually the streets are full of rides,” she told me. “But when it rains hard or when the heat is too much, people cancel trips, roads flood, and I earn nothing.” Not long ago, summers in Kathmandu were mild and monsoons came on time. Now, not just summers but every season feels unpredictable. When heavy rain pours for days, eroding her livelihood, she wonders if staying was the right decision. She dropped me at my destination, but her words stayed with me. While climate change can feel distant in textbooks, for her it is an ever-present threat.

The weather bears her out. On 28 September 2024, Kathmandu saw 322 millimetres of rain in 24 hours—the heaviest since 1970 (Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, 2024). Only months later, a glacial lake burst in Rasuwa. Both events claimed lives and caused massive destruction. Key bridges collapsed, cutting off vital trade routes with Nepal’s neighbours. Nepal’s average temperature has been rising by 0.056°C every year since 1971, one of the fastest rates in the world (ICIMOD, 2022). The World Bank warns that monsoon rains could become 25% heavier by 2050, bringing more floods and landslides.

The same story plays out elsewhere. In August 2025, flash floods tore through Uttarakhand in India. In January, Los Angeles faced its worst wildfire season in decades (Los Angeles Times, 2025). Last summer, the United Kingdom recorded its hottest year, with more than 2,300 heat-related deaths (European Environment Agency, 2025). Climate shocks are no longer rare; they are becoming the norm.

When these events strike, gig workers like Meena pay the highest price. They live on daily earnings. A few days without work can mean missed rent, unpaid school fees, or skipped meals. During Hurricane Ida in 2021, New York delivery riders pushed through waist-high water to complete orders (Los Deliveristas Unidos, 2021). In Italy, workers kept delivering in 40°C heat until the courts stepped in. Different countries, same pattern: those at the bottom of the economic chain face the greatest hardships.

I realised then that climate change is not just about melting glaciers or rising seas. It is also about whether a mother in Kathmandu can keep her children in school when floods keep her off the road.

So what can be done? Shaded trees along streets keep the ground cooler in sweltering heat. Simple steps—planting more trees, building shelters where drivers can rest, and improving drainage—can reduce risks. Modern tools matter too. AI-based weather alerts could warn drivers of dangerous conditions. Platforms could provide short-term support, such as guaranteed minimum earnings or quick micro-insurance payouts, to protect drivers when rides are cancelled during storms. At state level, a national weather plan requiring mandatory breaks, shaded rest areas, and fair compensation during extreme conditions would help.

Some countries have already begun to lead. Italy, for example, introduced a national heat plan this year with rest breaks, shaded areas, and compensation for workers during extreme weather.

By 2032, the global gig economy is projected to reach $1.8 trillion (PwC/Mastercard, 2023). But this growth can last only if the workers who sustain it are protected. Climate change is already here, and the conversation must focus on people—especially those whose survival is at stake each day. That ride with Meena made me realise how a single heavy rain could wipe out her income—and with it, her hope. It is unfair to expect her to bear that burden alone. If the gig economy is to thrive, workers like Meena must be protected, respected, and supported in the face of a changing climate.

Deeptangsu Rauniar, a Nepali student in Class XII at Wynberg Allen School, Mussoorie, India, is passionate about international relations, law, and social equity. She strives to create meaningful impact through advocacy and reform.