Baku, November 12, 2024 – At the 29th Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku, Nepal unveiled two important projects, supported by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), aimed at strengthening community resilience to climate change and enhancing national transparency. This launch event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) and GEF, and it saw the participation of key stakeholders, including representatives from GEF, Nepal’s Ministry of Finance, MoFE’s Climate Change Management Division, and international representatives.
These two projects, titled “Managing Watersheds for Enhanced Resilience of Communities to Climate Change in Nepal” (MaWRiN) and “Building National Capacities of Nepal to Meet Requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement” (CBIT), play a critical role in Nepal’s climate strategy.
The MaWRiN project has received $9 million (approximately NPR 1.2 billion) in funding. Its goal is to support Indigenous people and local communities in building climate resilience through nature-based solutions and diversified livelihoods.
Similarly, the CBIT project has secured $1.65 million (approximately NPR 222.8 million) to strengthen national institutions and capacities to meet the Paris Agreement’s “Transparency Framework” requirements, helping Nepal monitor progress toward its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
In his opening remarks, Dr. Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, head of the Climate Change Management Division at MoFE, provided an overview of the projects and highlighted their significant role in assisting Nepal in meeting its climate commitments on the global stage.
Representing GEF, Mr. Esteban Bermudez emphasized the importance of these projects in enabling Nepal to submit its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) on time, aligning with the Paris Agreement. He acknowledged some initial procedural delays and appreciated the commitment demonstrated by the ministries involved, reaffirming GEF’s continued support for Nepal’s climate goals.
Mr. Rajan Thapa, National Project Manager for CBIT, representing WWF, expressed dedication to reporting climate mitigation efforts and promised that Nepal would showcase tangible progress in climate reporting and resilience at COP30 next year.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Dhaniram Sharma, praised the CBIT project’s role in enhancing transparency and accountability in Nepal’s climate efforts. He also discussed the importance of the MaWRiN project in strengthening climate resilience through watershed management and community-centered environmental strategies. He noted that while Nepal has received climate financing, additional support is necessary to address the increasing impact and vulnerability due to climate change.
Secretary of MoFE, Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharel, concluded the event with well-wishes for the success of both projects and committed the Ministry’s full support to WWF Nepal in implementing these initiatives. He also expressed optimism for greater financial support to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Nepal.
Hashtags: #COP29 #ClimateActionNepal #GEFProjects #ClimateResilience #TransparencyInAction #MoFE #NepalForClimate #NatureBasedSolutions #WatershedManagement #CommunityResilience #ParisAgreement #SustainableNepal
