Download NEPAL Strengthening capacities of to mainstream climate change concerns into

Strengthening capacities of
NEPAL
to mainstream climate change concerns into
national urban related policies
MAHENDRA SUBBA, (Dr.ing)
EXPERT GROUP MEETING INTO NATIONAL
URBAN POLICIES
BANGKOK, 17-18 MARCH 2015
Country profile: Nepal
 Area: 1,47,181 Sq KM
 Population: 26.494 million (Source: CBS, 2011)
 Population Growth Rate: 1.35% per year
 Country GDP per capita 721US$
 Geographical setting and Climate:



Land locked country situated in central part
of Hindu-Kush Himalaya stretch
Different Physiographic regions exist within
lateral span of less than 200KM.
Each Physiographic region has distinct altitude and climate characteristics
that vary from sub-tropical to alpine conditions
Source: Water and Energy Commission Secretariat 2005
(10.034 million) i. e. 38.26% of
total country population
 Urban Population Growth Rate:


3.43% Inter-Censal Growth
5.3% Average annual Growth
(1981 to 2011)

35
10,000
 Largest City and Capital: Kathmandu

40
12,000
Population: 975,453 (0.97 million)
Density (persons per hectare):199
30
8,000
25
20
6,000
15
4,000
10
2,000
-
5
1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2014
0
% Urban Population
 Urban population: 10,034,577
Urban Population ( in thousands)
Urbanization trend
Problems related to climate change and urbanization
Direct Impacts:
Energy:
Irregularities in stream flow affects reliable supply of electricity where 90%
of population rely on hydro-power as main source of electricity. Siltation
and floods reduces power generation efficiency.
Infrastructure:
Increased incidence of rainfall overwhelms the capacity of sewerage system
that is already deficit. Bridges and roads bear direct impact of flooding
events. Rise in temperature affects the mountain regions the most, where
the rate of temp. rise is higher and coping capacity is low.
Water security:
Reduction in fresh water supply due to change in rainfall pattern, decrease
in snowfall, rapid melting of glaciers in the long run and reduced
groundwater recharge
Climate induced rural-urban migration:
Change in food production pattern due to increase temperature, prolonged
draught have forced people to migrate to cities and other countries.
Problems related to climate change and urbanization
Indirect Impacts:
Food security:
Damage to livelihood asset ; reduction in food production due to
changing temperature and rainfall pattern with impact on food
price
Rising incidence of urban poverty increases vulnerability and aggravates
impact of Climate Change
50
40
41.76
30.85
30
20
21.55
10
0
% of Poor
25.16
15.46
9.55
1995/96
2003/04
2009/10
Nepal
Urban
Policies leading to promotion or failure of the climate
change adaption and mitigation efforts
National Adaptation Programme of Action
(NAPA), 2010
 A strategic tool to assess climatic vulnerability and
respond to climate change adaptation issues
 Urban settlements and infrastructure is one of six major
sectors.
Adaptation actions for Urban settlement and infrastructure
sector are:
• Piloting rain water harvesting system at community level
• Develop nationwide ground water monitoring system
• Water management of river basin at municipal level
Policies leading to promotion or failure of the climate
change adaption and mitigation efforts
Multi-Stakeholder Climate Change Initiatives
Coordination Committee (MCCICC), 2010
 A national platform for ensuring regular dialogue and
consultations on climate change-related policies, plans,
finance, programmes/projects and activities.
 It aims to foster a unified and coordinated climate change
response in Nepal
 It institutionalizes the multi-stakeholder and participatory
process of NAPA
Policies leading to promotion or failure of the climate
change adaption and mitigation efforts
Climate Change Policy, 2011
Aims to:
- Improve livelihoods by mitigating and adapting to the adverse
impacts of climate change,
- Adopt a low-carbon emissions socio-economic development path
- Support and collaborate to fulfill country's commitments to
national and international agreements related to climate change.
- This policy is not explicit impact of climate change on urban
areas. For ex. it does not address issue of urban water security.
- Environment Protection Act and Rules are limited and do not
encompass the issues of climate change.
Policies leading to promotion or failure of the climate
change adaption and mitigation efforts
Local Adaptation Plans for Action (LAPA) , 2011
 Ensures effective implementation of NAPA.
 Assist identification of local adaptation actions with people's
participation as prescribed in NAPA
 LAPA framework helps to integrate climate adaptation and
resilience aspects in local and national plans through crosscutting sectors
 Guided by bottom-up, inclusive, responsive and
flexible as the four guiding principles
- Lack of data and information at micro level is preventing
implementation of LAPA.
- Low capacity of local bodies to formulate and implement plan.
Policies leading to promotion or failure of the climate
change adaption and mitigation efforts
Environment Friendly Local Governance, 2013
- Provides clear planning steps (from grassroots level to National
level)
- Major sectors:
 Natural resources conservation and efficient use
 Urban greenery and beautification
 Waste management
 Disaster risk reduction
- Assists in linking national policies to local action plans
- Promotes climate friendly indigenous knowledge and practices
- Lack of fund is a major setback on its nationwide implementation
Opportunities and ways to integrate climate change
into policies
Application of both bottom-up and top-down approach is necessary to integrate climate change
agenda into policies. It can be approached through:
Bottom-up approach:
 Educate local people on climate change impact through awareness campaigns,
 Mobilize community based organizations at ward level such as Ward Citizen Forums,
Citizen Awareness Center in all local bodies to implement of plans at local level.
Top-down approach:
 Increase sensitivity of the government agencies and local government on the issues and
impacts of climate change through capacity building programs as well as institutional
arrangement
 Integrate of climate change issues in Annual Measurement of Minimum Condition and
Performance Measure of the municipalities that mandates them to address the issue of
climate change in annual plans and programs
 Implementation of National Urban Development Strategy, 2015 that promotes multihazard approach in dealing with disaster with special attention to climate change. It
emphasizes on generating information on climate change in urban areas of different
ecological regions
Sources of climate change financing
Environment Special Fund in MoSTE is the major
source of fund of the government.
Local fund for climate change adaptation is provided
through District Development Committee to Village
Development Committees.
Out of 27 ministries, 11 have climate change related
programs. Among these 11 ministries ten are line
ministries. The remaining one—Ministry of Finance
has budget set aside for financing the internal loan and
share investment for hydroelectricity project and water
sector development programs.
Options /opportunities for increasing the funding of
local climate change action
• Climate Change Policy demands establishment of Climate
Change Fund, that can play vital role in establishing funding
mechanism and resources for local climate change actions.
• Increase in Inter Government Fiscal Transfer from the
government to municipalities, also to cater to climate change
initiatives
• Earmarking budgets in the government plans and programs for
climate change
 EFLG, 2013 is being implemented in 33 municipalities in 12 districts. It needs
financial support for its nationwide implementation in all 191 municipalities.
 LAPA, 2011 is being executed in 60 Village Development Committees (VDCs)
in 12 districts.
 Nepal Climate Change Support Programme (NCCSP) 2013-15, is being
implemented in 69 VDC sand 1 Municipality of Mid and Far western region.
 National Urban Development Strategy, 2015 stresses in creation of robust
database on climate change trend and impact in urban areas.
Capacity of government to respond to climate change
- MoSTE is the responsible agency for formulation of climate
change related policies and plans.
• MoFALD is responsible to localize climate issues through
Local Government.
- MoSTE has established Environment Department to address
environment related issues that includes climate change.
- Each ministry has a separate environment section to make
their plans and programs that are environment sensitive.
- Policies and manuals regarding climate change are in place.
However, its implementation is weak.
- Lack of technical capacity at local level is hindrance for
application of plans
- Need of legislative support for climate change initiative
Forms of support for building the capacity of local
governments/bodies
Capacity building
 Requires tool kits that are instructive and can be practiced and
operationalized at the ground level.
 Need to increase technical capacity at local level through trainings
Legal basis
 A strong legal backing is needed to implement the policy as a
crosscutting issue.
 Need to revise EPA and EPR to address aspects of climate change
Financial support
 Significant investment is needed to implement existing plans and
integrate climate change as cross-cutting issue in new dev. programs.
Database system
 Micro/local level information and data regarding changing precipitation
pattern, and temperature change should be prepared.
Institutional arrangements
Key national level actors:
• Ministry of Urban Development,
• Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development,
• Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport
• Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology
• Ministry of Finance
Ways to internalize climate change in their agenda:
• Promote research based approach backed by
knowledge/evidences on incidences and impacts of climate
change.
• Build awareness and engagement through capacity building
programs.
Proposed activities
• Prepare urban area focused micro level database on
incidences and impact of climate change.
• Conduct capacity building programs to educate policy
makers, technical experts and communities for
integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation
approach in their agenda.
• Prepare annual programs that integrate climate change
as a cross cutting issue
• Establish monitoring and evaluation system to
evaluate the activities regarding climate change
Thank you !