Nepal Television Report on EBA Ecosystem-Based Adaptation UNDP on 08 01 2016

Nepal’s national economy and people’s livelihoods largely depend on natural resources and ecosystems services. These are increasingly negatively influenced by the effects of climate change, including increased variability on water availability, extreme weather events and natural disasters. Drought, flood, glacial lake outburst floods, avalanches, landslides and forest fires are some climate related disasters that Nepal experiences. In response to this, the Government of Nepal’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and other national strategies and action plans have recognized that immediate actions are needed to minimize climate risks to society, economy and ecosystems. In line with NAPA and Government’s strategies, the Ecosystem based Adaptation Nepal (EbA) project aims to strengthen the resiliency of ecosystems within these countries and reduce the vulnerability of local communities with particular emphasis on mountain ecosystems. It also aims to demonstrate EbA measures for continued provision of ecosystem services, and support in strengthening the institutional capacity of key national Nepalese actors to build and better integrate ecosystem resilience options in national, sub-national and local level plans.

Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) project for mountain ecosystems is currently being implemented in Nepal, Peru and Uganda. Each country is working in close collaboration with their respective government partners and in case of Nepal, the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC)/Department of Forests (DoF) is one of the prominent implementing partners while the overall coordination role is carried out by Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE). The pilot site for this project is the Panchase area, encompassing Kaski, Parbat and Syangja districts. This area was chosen due to its vulnerability to climate change impacts, including negative impacts on water resources, agriculture and biodiversity. The major climate risks in this area are from landslide hazards during the monsoon season.

Nepal component of the project is therefore designed on the premise that the social/human adaptation is best achieved by ensuring the continued provision of ecosystem services and enhancing human capacities to address current challenges and future uncertainties. This is especially true in the context of the mountain regions of Nepal where communities continue to be highly dependent on ecosystem services for their livelihoods. Hence EbA has implemented different programs at the ecosystem level in all seventeen districts of Panchase area to restore the ecosystem and to support vulnerable communities. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) through its International Climate Initiative and is jointly implemented by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project has four major components: the development of methodologies and tools for EbA decision-making in mountain ecosystems; the application of EbA tools and methodologies at the ecosystem level; the implementation of EbA pilots at the ecosystem level; and the formulation of national policies and building an economic case for EbA at the national level.

Read more at: www.np.undp.org/eba