Baku: – At the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) held in Baku,
Nepal unveiled two significant projects funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to
build community resilience to climate change and enhance national transparency in climate
action. The launch event, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Forests and
Environment (MoFE) and GEF, was attended by key stakeholders, including representatives
from GEF, Nepal’s Ministry of Finance, and MoFE’s Climate Change Management Division,
as well as international participants.
The 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),
represent a vital step forward in Nepal’s climate action strategy. MaWRiN, with a funding
allocation of USD 9 million, focuses on improving the climate resilience of Indigenous
people and local communities in the Marin watershed through nature-based solutions and
diversified livelihoods. The CBIT project, backed by USD 1.65 million, is dedicated to
strengthening national institutions and capabilities to meet the Enhanced Transparency
Framework (ETF) requirements of the Paris Agreement, enabling Nepal to track progress
against the priority actions set forth in 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. He emphasized their
crucial role in helping Nepal fulfill its climate commitments on the global stage.
Representing the GEF, Mr. Esteban Bermudez underscored the importance of these projects
in ensuring Nepal submits its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) on schedule, in
alignment with the Paris Agreement. While acknowledging some initial procedural delays,
he commended the ownership shown by the involved ministries and affirmed GEF’s ongoing
support for Nepal’s climate objectives.
From the project implementation side, Mr. Rajan Thapa, National Project Manager for CBIT,
highlighted WWF’s continued dedication to reporting climate change mitigation efforts in
Nepal. He committed that WWF would showcase tangible project outcomes at COP30 next
year, reflecting Nepal’s progress in climate reporting and resilience.
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 action. He also
stressed the importance of the MaWRiN project, which aims to improve climate resilience
by managing watersheds and promoting sustainable, community-centered environmental
strategies. He noted that while Nepal has received climate financing, more robust support
is needed to meet the increasing vulnerability and impact of climate change.
Secretary of MoFE, Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal, concluded the event by extending his best
wishes for the successful implementation of both projects. He reiterated the Ministry’s
commitment to supporting WWF Nepal in carrying out these projects and voiced optimism
for greater financial support to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Nepal.
About the Projects
The MaWRiN Project seeks to boost the resilience of local communities and Indigenous
people by using nature-based solutions and encouraging livelihood diversification in the
Marin watershed.
The CBIT Project focuses on building Nepal’s institutional capacity to report climate action
under the ETF requirements of the Paris Agreement, paving the way for accurate tracking and
enhanced transparency in Nepal’s climate progress.
This collaborative effort between GEF, MoFE, and WWF Nepal demonstrates Nepal’s
dedication to both mitigating the impacts of climate change on its communities and meeting
international climate commitments
