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population must be assessed. MOEST must approvethe requisite environmental impact assessment (EIA)reports before any project is started. Projects withoutsignificant environmental impacts only need aninitial environmental examination (IEE) to beconducted by relevant agencies. The NPC hasadopted and applied the concept of strategicenvironmental assessment (SEA) for projectdevelopment policies and programs included in theTenth Five-Year Plan (2002–2007). While the EIAassesses environmental impacts of developmentprojects at the project level, the SEA assessesimpacts at the planning, policy, and programmingstages and can be used in evaluating strategicproposals for appropriate decision making.EIA and SEA capacity issues are acute. The EIAis still largely considered to be an “add-on” projectburden, and EIA reports are commonly based oninadequate data. Although the then MOPE (nowMOEST) has already approved 25 EIA reports fromdifferent projects, it has not been able to monitor theproposed mitigation of identified impacts, and thereis no indication that its successor MOEST will do anybetter. Recent experience based on a cross-sectionof development projects shows that the EIA processis usually enforced only as part of the initial approvalprocess. The problems come later at theimplementation stage. Some common constraintsfaced during implementation of EIA measures aresummarized in Appendix 14.3.Capacity development in augmenting,mobilizing, and enhancing Nepal’s EIA and SEAcapability must be strengthened. The knowledge,tools, and skills necessary to operate an EIA or SEAsystem to an acceptable level of performance mustbe developed. The scope of capacity developmentcan range from establishing preconditions for EIA orSEA development to benchmarking good practices.Supporting measures include research, policyanalysis, institutional design, information exchange,training and skills transfer, building networks,professional development, and guidance onimplementing good practices. Appendix 14.4presents some operational problems identified in theimplementation of the EIA process, together withrecommended solutions.Environmental and NaturalResources Information NetworkInformed decision-making must be based onaccurate data and information. The synthesis andanalysis of basic environmental data yields theinformation that is the precondition for developing apolicy framework, policy design, and the plans andprograms for environmental and natural resourcemanagement. As the population at large becomessensitized to environmental issues, there is a growinginterest in analytical data on the environment. Thedemand for environmental information is escalatingand governments and other stakeholders in civilsociety have been the driving forces both on thesupply and the demand sides. Good, reliable data onNepal is clearly recognized by all stakeholders as afundamental tool for development.Although over the years considerableenvironmental data and information have beencompiled by various institutions, aid projects, andindividual researchers, this information has beendifficult to access. Data appear in isolated reports,and are often dispersed, heterogeneous, andinaccessible; more often than not, they areinsufficiently relevant in terms of continuity andreliability. Without an appropriate framework andmechanisms for data sharing, time and resources arewasted in the duplication of efforts. Public andprivate environmental institutions and bodies inNepal have accumulated environmental data andinformation on natural resources and environmentalconditions. These databases lack a centralized datapool and unified standards. At the national level thereis no national information database integrating all thedata, nor are there any data linkages that wouldallow the sharing of the existing information.An environment and natural resources informationnetwork must be established to facilitate theexchange of information, strengthen appropriatepolicymaking capacities, and be a real tool in theattempt to tackle environmental problems. A unifiedrepository would collect all established databases ofmajor environmental concerns with the participationof government, nongovernment, and academicinstitutions; the private sector, and otherstakeholders. Such a network, which would integratedata and information from decentralized providersand make them available to a multitude of users, isan interesting concept, and doubtless a useful one,but one that needs to be strictly managed to make itviable. Some potential management issues aredescribed below:(i) Initially, the existing structures need to beassessed and the capacity of the differentagencies reinforced to allow them to moreeasily generate and handle multisectoralenvironmental and natural resources dataand information.(ii) Sectoral agencies need to be coordinated sothat the data and information collected aresystematic and conform to a consistentinformation structure that ensures qualityand reliability.214 Environment Assessment of Nepal : Emerging Issues and Challenges
(iii) Socioeconomic and other sectoral data andinformation can then be harvested to derivepolicy-relevant aggregated indicators formajor environmental issues at the local andnational levels.(iv) An integrated environmental decisionsupportsystem focused on priorityenvironmental issues can then be developedto bring together existing knowledge andhelp to facilitate assessments, trends, andprojections in the area of environmentalprotection.(v) To maximize its usefulness, Nepal’s centralrepository of information would then need tobe networked and linked with differentregional and international agencies and withother well-developed and manageddatabases dealing with similar types ofinformation.Many issues—in particular, environmentalissues such as loss of biodiversity, glacier melting,soil erosion, air pollution, and flooding—transcendnational boundaries. Actions to combat these in onecountry often have profound regional or globalramifications. This is especially true regarding theenvironmental degradation and depletion of naturalresources that have intensified in the recent past. Indeciding on specific actions at the national level, it isnecessary also to carefully assess regionalimplications to avoid harming other countries. It isalso necessary to strengthen a sense of collectiveownership and responsibility for the environmentalchallenges faced in the <strong>Himalayan</strong> region. There isan urgent need to pursue effective measures ofregional cooperation to establish a regional networkfor effective sharing and exchange of information forsustainable decision-making on key transboundaryenvironmental problems.BibliographyAsian Development Bank (<strong>ADB</strong>). 2000. Report andRecommendation of the President to the Board ofDirectors on a Proposed Loan to the Kingdom ofNepal For The Small Towns Water Supply a n dSanitation Sector Project. Manila. Available:http://www.adb.org/documents/RRPs/NEP/rrp-1755-nep.pdf———.2002. Report and Recommendation of the Presidentto the Board of Directors on a ProposedLoan to the Kingdom of Nepal For The Urban andEnvironmental Improvement Project. M a n i l a .Available:http://www.adb.org/documents/RRPs/NEP/rrp_nep_32239.pdf———.2003. Project Performance Audit Report on theKathmandu Urban Development ProjectManila. Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/PPARs/NEP/ppar_nep_24321.pdfCentral Bureau of Statistics (CBS). 2003. PopulationMonograph of Nepal, Vol. I. Kathmandu.IUCN (The World Conservation Union). 1999. ConservationStatus of Siwalik Area of Ilam District. Kathmandu.King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC).2002. Annual Report. Kathmandu.Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MOFSC). 2000.“Revised Forestry Sector Policy.” Draft, Ministry ofForests and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu.———.2002. Nepal Biodiversity Strategy. Kathmandu.———.2003a. National Wetlands Policy. Kathmandu.———.2003b. “Nepal Biodiversity Strategy ImplementationPlan.” Draft, Ministry of Forests and SoilConservation, Kathmandu.National Action Program (NAP). 2002. “National ActionProgram Formulation Process.” Report of theNational Workshop on Sustainable LandManagement, organized by Ministry of Populationand Environment, United Nations Convention toCombat Desertification, and Global Mechanism,Kathmandu.National Planning Commission (NPC). 2003. SustainableDevelopment Agenda for Nepal. Kathmandu:His Majesty’s Government of Nepal, NationalPlanning Commission and Ministry of Population andEnvironment.World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). 2000. WWF in Nepal:Three Decades of Partnership in Conservation(1967–2000). Kathmandu.Chapter 14: Emerging Priorities215
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About the OrganisationsAsian Develo
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© 2006 International Centre for In
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AcknowledgementsWe would like to ex
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PM2.5PAHRSSAARCSACEPSEASO 2TSPUKUND
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Chapter 6: Energy Resources 65Intro
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List of FiguresFigure 2.1: People a
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Table 6.1: Energy Consumption and P
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forests are also used for infrastru
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as data gathered by different agenc
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Table 2.1: Population Growth Rates
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mortality rates for rural and urban
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Agglomeration village in the centra
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soil erosion, and depletion of wate
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provision remains inadequate becaus
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Malnutrition remains a serious obst
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Table 2.24: Existing and Projected
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Table 2.28: Income Poverty Indicato
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Table 2.31: Change in Employment St
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In 2004, the average annual househo
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Mountain areas have the most food i
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Schaffner, U. 1987. “Road Constru
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Table 3.1: Agricultural Economic De
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Table 3.4: Estimated Soil Erosion R
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B. PradhanImpacts of land degradati
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Carson, B. 1985. “Erosion and Sed
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The trend of forest coverage in the
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BiodiversityState of BiodiversityNe
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The Government has given legal prot
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Different ways of maintaining biodi
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———.2004. State of the Enviro
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Appendix 4.1: Table continuedMajor
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Appendix 4.2: Protected Plant and W
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Table A4.2.3: Nepal's Share in Plan
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to intense weathering, and percolat
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Table 5.5: Water Supply and Water T
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Table 5.9: Water Quality of Shallow
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species are reported to be endanger
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Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR).
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Definition, Forms, and UnitsEnergy
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Table 6.5: Hydropower PotentialRive
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Chilime Hydroelectric Project: An E
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load occurs from 6 pm to 9 pm with
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assessment of wind energy and lack
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Review of Dams and Development by t
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IUCNElizabeth Khaka, UNEP-NairobiRu
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therefore reflect the three guiding
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is a seasonal dust storm. Anthropog
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Figure 7.3: Average Air Quality, Ja
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matter, hydrocarbons, and NO x (Nae
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Figure: 7.9: Vehicle Registered in
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Brick Kilnchlorofluorocarbons (HCFC
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Climate ChangeA region’s climate
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Figure 7.14: Mean Annual Precipitat
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Table 7.3: National Ambient Air Qua
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India. Available: http://www.cleana
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———.1999. “Ambient Air Qual
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Appendix 7.1: World Health Organiza
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Table 8.1: Criteria for Urban Statu
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accommodate the rapidly increasing
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managing solid waste. They are part
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In most municipalities, hazardous w
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in worsening public health conditio
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objects of archaeological, historic
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Min BajracharyaB. PradhanVehicles a
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Department of Health Services (DOHS
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Table 9.1 describes the major highl
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the period to up 2017. The document
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earthquakes; and awareness raising
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Sub-regional LinkagesOther developi
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Figure 9.1: The Key Environmental I
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(iv)(v)(vi)plants, and other non-ti
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environmental governance can be bet
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can vary considerably. Both sides h
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Dhungel, D.N., and A.B. Rajbhandari
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Table A9.1.2: Industry-Specific Tol
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. Cultural Heritage8. Convention fo
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Appendix 9.3: Some Prominent Enviro
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Some funding arrangements made by t
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(NARDF 2004) for a period of 1 to 3
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Table 10.2: Annual Income and Expen
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Table 10.4: Users’ Share in Benef
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From Hands Around Everest bookFrom
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Table 10.8: Subsidy Rate for Biogas
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microorganism communities and the n
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subsidies (Mason 1996). All these a
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addressed only part of the problem.
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historical practice of community-ma
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Page 188 and 189: United Nations. 2003. World Populat
Page 190 and 191: how other countries with substantia
Page 192 and 193: (i) Broad-based and sustainable eco
Page 194 and 195: Although progress is encouraging, m
Page 196 and 197: Nepal’s Changing Pattern of Trade
Page 198 and 199: Table 12.2: Trade/ GDP RatiosFY1981
Page 200 and 201: Table 12.5: Percentage Share of Maj
Page 202 and 203: well as other provisions in specifi
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Page 206 and 207: International Trade Forum (ITN). 20
Page 208 and 209: - Gross domestic product per unit e
Page 210 and 211: Time Series InformationGenerally tw
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Page 214 and 215: elevant due to its multidisciplinar
Page 216 and 217: Figure 13.6: Examples of Applicatio
Page 218 and 219: Judith DobmannThere are many source
Page 220 and 221: ———.2003. Mapping Nepal Censu
Page 222 and 223: sustainable livelihoods requires an
Page 224 and 225: and haphazard. Population pressures
Page 226 and 227: issue. These deficiencies stem from
Page 230 and 231: Appendix 14.1: List of Key Environm
Page 232 and 233: (vii) The EIA report approving agen
Page 234 and 235: Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty a
Page 236 and 237: Nepal’s Progress Towards the MDGs
Page 238 and 239: Goal 4: Reduce child mortalityReduc
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