By Rick M 
In a blow to climate change, Nepal has recently introduced powerful policies and programs to secure and advance the nation from the climate change changes. The government, along with its counterparts and development partners and in partnership with stakeholders, here and abroad, has embarked on an integrated and comprehensive strategies in dealing with the challenge that confronts this Himalayan kingdom.
Among these are Nepal’s first National Adaptation Plan (NAP), an innovative approach being implemented to strengthen the nation’s capacity to cope with climate change impacts. Presented at the National Climate Summit in Kathmandu only a few days ago, the strategy lists a number of actions and targets across eight main economic sectors, which will require an investment of USD 47 billion up to 2050.
The Honorable Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in his speech at the launch ceremony said, They have added that Nepal and climate changes are at high risk. Global warming has affected the physiognomy of monsoon rains in terms of intensity, volume and seasonality. That means has adjusted temperature and altered the pattern of precipitation; it has brought more disasters and extreme events, which present complex problems.
The NAP identifies three priority sectors that require immediate attention: land, water, food, forests; People, animals and plants; Axe and shield: disasters and Hazards. It shall be noted that this focus goal is relevant as these areas are sensitive economic streams and concerns of the citizens of Nepal.
In terms of funding the government of Nepal has planned to invest USD 1.5 billion while rest of USD 45.9 billion will be raised from external sources. This funding model calls for international cooperation especially for low impact countries like Nepal since climatic change affect them most.
However, apart from the NAP, Nepal has started few more programs to increase its climate change resilience. The Climate Change Support Programme of Nepal (NCCSP) has been making efforts to make climate change adaptations trustworthy at the community level. Current initiatives include projects that address floods risks, EbA and supporting construction of climate resilience through involvement of the private sector.
Currently there is a high policy interest in knowledge creation and sharing seeing that the government has set up a Climate Change Knowledge Management Centre. A primary goal of this effort is to help translate climate science into actionable information for achieving policy outcomes now and in the future as well as reaching out to communities and other relevant stakeholders.
Confining itself to climatic changes, Nepal has initiated a health framework called the “One Health” that focuses on both the human-health animal –health and environmental link. Such an approach is most appropriate given that the country is prone to climate-related disasters, including floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods, which not only disrupt public health, but also have secondary impacts on ecosystems.
The agricultural sector that remains most important in the Nepalese economy is being prioritized. The innovation of climate smart practices are being encouraged as the farmers try to deal with different weather patterns in order to have food security. These are; genetic improvement which involves improving irrigation and other water management practices as well as sustainable agriculture practices.
Thus, in the energy sector, Nepal is firmly relying on itsdomestic and foreign investments in renewable energy, especially hydro energy. The country plans to sharply increase the share of investments in hydropower in the coming ten years not only to satisfy internal electricity demands but also to export ‘green’ energy to bordering countries.
Cities, however, are not being outdone in this climate action thrust. Currently, Nepal is undergoing rapid urbanization thus; the cities are being pressured to implement, green building construction initiatives, better management of wastes and embracing of environmentally friendly means transport like electric cars and public transport.
The government is also leading efforts in enhancing governance institutions that deal with climate change and disaster risks. This counts among other things, continued process of federalism in responsibilities which should guarantee ability of local governments to discharge climate adaptation responsibilities in accordance with their circumstances.
International organizations especially the United Nations and other related intergovernmental bodies are a major source of support to climate change initiatives in Nepal. The international organizations that are currently involved in the support of climate projects are World Bank, United Nations agencies and bilateral partners. These partnerships are expounding capacity, disseminating technology and practices in climate change vulnerability and response.
There is a new development in current climate approaches as Nepal pushes the private sector to be more engaged in climate change actions. The government has been looking for ideas that would motivate the companies to spend on climate-proof capital and be more environmentally friendly. This is as per efforts the government has made for the development of climate finance for small and medium enterprises.
One of the main strategies of Nepal’s climate programmes is therefore education and awareness. Schools have adopted climate change into their programmes, and governmental and non-governmental organizations are designing and implementing programmes to educate people on climate change and ways through which people can contribute to change or adjust to new coming climatic conditions.
However, there are some issues as Nepal proceeds in such efforts. This is because topography of the country varies from elevated mountains to low altitude plains thus requiring appropriate interventions at each area. Also, effective collaboration between different tiers of government as well as long-term funding of large projects are going to be priorities for achievement.
In sum, albeit the mentioned challenges, Nepal’s multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach towards CC adaptation bears testimony to a reliable long-term strategy to construct a future resilient to CC. Through both careful planning for its climate development strategy and active formation of cross-sectoral and international partnerships, Nepal is demonstrating a strong and influential example of leading the pack of developing nations towards effective climate action.
Now, when the global community is still struggling to prevent climate change, Nepal initiatives can serve as the sample and source of inspiration for other countries which are also at risk. The outcomes of such endeavours will not only be felt back in Nepal but will be a part of global climate change mitigations as well.