As humanity witnessed global boiling in its truest sense, many asked: Who suffers the most? Who bears the responsibility? Who can prevent this?
Forests burned, glaciers melted, sea levels rose, and rivers dried. A severe heatwave gripped the nation, claiming lives. At the receiving end of nature’s wrath were the marginalised—the poor, Dalits, Adivasis, farmers, and women. Outlook reporters documented the climate crisis through the lens of their suffering and struggles.
In Mumbai, the Koli people, the city's original inhabitants, are fighting a battle for existence against the threats of climate change and aggressive infrastructure development. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, Dalit and Adivasi communities are being uprooted as unrestricted mining activities continue.
The intersectionality of class, caste, and climate change, highlights how these overlapping factors intensify the suffering of the most vulnerable, with lower caste brick kiln workers, poor slum dwellers, and farmers being worst affected.
In Kashmir’s Sonamarg, the Thajiwas glacier once dominating the gorge is now a mere glacial remnant and is rapidly receding due to excessive tourism; while people's movements to protect the environment are making major strides from Kashmir to Kerala; meanwhile acts of resistance unfold to defend fragile ecosystems and marginalised livelihoods under threat.
Outlook also explores why despite Hindi films' enduring love for nature—especially evident in songs' lyrics and visuals— movies on climate change are so few in Bollywood?
In other news, Hathras has made national headlines as a deadly stampede at a constable-turned religious preacher, Bhole Baba’s satsang claimed 121 lives with most of them being women. People ask who is responsible, no one in Hathras has the answer.
