The devastating floods in Nepal should make all of us stop for a moment. My deepest condolences and prayers go to the victims, their families and all those affected by this terrible tragedy. No words can really ease the pain of those who have lost loved ones or their homes.
It is easy to look at another natural disaster, feel sorry for those affected, and then move on to the next headline. We have become rather good at doing that.
The tragedy in Nepal is another reminder that climate change is no longer a problem for some distant future. It is happening now with real consequences for communities that are often least responsible for creating the problem.
We can debate the exact causes of any particular flood or disaster. What we should not debate is whether the world needs to take climate risks more seriously.
Global authorities need to move beyond the usual conferences, targets and carefully worded promises. Better early-warning systems, stronger infrastructure and much greater international cooperation are needed particularly for vulnerable regions such as the Himalayas.
Nepal contributes very little to global emissions, yet its people are increasingly exposed to the consequences of a changing climate. Perhaps it is time for the world to stop treating climate change as a political talking point and start treating it as what it increasingly is — a very real human and economic risk.