* Environment Management:
* Biological Diversity:
The number of tigers in Nepal has increased to 355 in 2022. In 2018, the
number of tigers was 235. In 2021, the number of endangered Krishnasara
increased by 39 from 336 in 2022 to 375 in 2022.
7.61 So far, 293 species of indigenous flora have been documented in Nepal.
Also, 5,309 flowering species and 6,083 non-flowering species have been
documented.
7.62 Until the mid-March of FY 2022/23, under the President Chure-Terai
Conservation Program, 35,000 plants have been produced. In the main
river system, 13.7 kilometers of river and streambank
stabilization/management work has been completed. Additionally, during
this period, land-based water recharge has been carried out at 4 locations,
and flood/dike/embankment control has been implemented at 48 locations.
* environment pollution:
* climate change:
Nepal is also one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world. Nepal ranks 139th out of 182 countries in terms of its exposure, sensitivity, and ability to adapt to the negative impact of climate change (ND-GAIN, 2022).
15.2 Due to increasing human activities, the surge in the emission of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has led to an increase in global
temperature. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) Assessment Report (AR6), average temperature of the
Earth has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius in compare to 1850-1900.
Climate induced events are significantly increasing globally. As a result,
climate change has emerged as a major challenge to the balance of human
communities and ecosystems.
15.3 Nepal is among the countries that are at high risk of climate change due to
its topography and geographical features. The annual average temperature
of Nepal has increased by 0.056 degrees Celsius during 1974-2014 AD.
15.4 To address the issue of climate change, various mechanisms have been
established including the United Nations Framework Convention, the
Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Every country has been
formulating policies, laws and procedures to reduce the impact of climate
change and implementing them accordingly. Nepal is also a party to these
treaties and has been working in the field of climate change mitigation and
adaptation.
15.5 The world's greenhouse gas emissions were 32.52 billion metric tons in
1990, but such emissions have reached to 49.76 billion metric tons in 2019.
Global greenhouse gas emissions increased by an average of 1.45 percent
during the period from 1990 to 2019.
15.6 According to the statistics of Climate Watch, China, United States of
America, India, European Union countries, Indonesia, Russia, Brazil,
Japan, Iran, Germany and Canada are the countries that emit the most
greenhouse gases in the world. China accounts for the largest share of
global greenhouse gas emissions at 24.2 percent, followed by the United
States of America at 11.6 percent. Among the top 10 greenhouse gas
emitters, Canada's is the lowest at 1.56 percent.
15.8 National Council for Environment Protection and Climate Change
Management, Inter-Ministerial Climate Change Coordination Committee
(IMCCCC) at federal level and Provincial Climate Change Coordination
Committee (PCCCC) at the provincial level have been established and is
working to facilitate the functional coordination of government agencies .
15.9 The 27 th session of the conference of Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention (COP-27) was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt in
2022. Nepal had prepared a national concept paper covering the issues of
Himalayan regions, adaptation, mitigation, agriculture and food security,
climate finance, technology transfer and capacity building and submitted
it to the conference. Developed countries have agreed in the conference to
prepare a report on doubling adaptation finance by COP28, including
establishing Damages and loss fund and making institutional arrangements
for the implementation of the “Santiago Network”.
15.10 Climate model program is being conducted at 8 local levels to expand the
climate model villages to more local levels based on the geographical
balance and endangered situation. A total of Rs. 100 million has been
allocated in the current fiscal year to support local levels to assist in
developing climate adaptation plan.
15.11 The share of the budget that directly benefits climate change has been
increasing in recent years. In the FY 2018/19, 4.6 percent of the total
budget was allocated for direct benefits to climate change, and this ratio
has increased to 5.9 percent by the current fiscal year.
15.13 By the mid-April 2023, Nepal has prepared three national communication
reports and submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
15.14 Local climate change adaptation plans are being formulated and
implemented at the local level across the country. Nepal Climate Change
Support Program is being implemented in 35 local levels of Karnali
Province. Likewise, an ecosystem-based adaptation program is in
operation at 10 local levels in Bagmati, Karnali and Sudurpaschim
provinces. In addition, the Forest for Prosperity program is operational at
50 local levels in Lumbini and Madhesh provinces.
15.15 In the FY2022/23, the adaptation projects for small farmers of hill area,
being operated in 200 village development committees of Lumbini,
Karnali and Sudurpaschim Province in the past, have been completed.
Likewise, the Karnali Food Security Project, which is being implemented
at 7 local levels in Karnali and Sudurpaschim Province, was completed in
mid-November of the current fiscal year.
15.17 To participate in the carbon trade of the forest sector, the carbon emission
reduction program document of 13 districts of Terai has been approved
and is being implemented since 2018 AD.
15.18 As of mid-April of 2023, 241 local adaptation and climate resilience
development plans are being implemented. 1,944 households have
benefited from the construction of 25.52 km of irrigation canals in the FY
2021/22 through the Adaptation for Smallholders in Hilly Areas Project.
Similarly, 1,921 households from the conservation of water pond at 94
locations and 1,052 households from the controlling floods, landslides and
mudslides at 32 locations have been directly benefited. Likewise, solar
energy is connected in 14 distressed households and improved stoves have
been fitted in 384 households. In addition, 9,738 household are directly
benefitted so far including promoting climate resilient farming in 403
group.
15.19 The infrastructure construction of air quality measurement center is
expanding. As of mid-April of 2023, 29 air quality measurement centers
are operational across the country. The data received from these centers
are analyzed and the status report is published regularly.
* digital development
* Sustainable development in Nepal
16.3 Once Nepal is upgraded to a developing country in 2026, it will have an
impact on the internal and external sectors of the economy. At present,
Nepal's export trade as a least developed country is likely to decrease the
competitiveness of goods due to the decrease in the concessions it is
getting. Therefore, it is necessary to diversify the export goods and
markets to reduce the decline after upgrading by increasing the
competitiveness of exports. Similarly, foreign investment needs to be
attracted and increased to increase export capacity. In the same way,
emphasis should be laid on increasing the competitiveness of the private
sector, efficiency and productivity of the means of production.
16.3 Once Nepal is upgraded to a developing country in 2026, it will have an
impact on the internal and external sectors of the economy. At present,
Nepal's export trade as a least developed country is likely to decrease the
competitiveness of goods due to the decrease in the concessions it is
getting. Therefore, it is necessary to diversify the export goods and
markets to reduce the decline after upgrading by increasing the
competitiveness of exports. Similarly, foreign investment needs to be
attracted and increased to increase export capacity. In the same way,
emphasis should be laid on increasing the competitiveness of the private
sector, efficiency and productivity of the means of production.
16.5 This campaign has been advanced with priority in the national development
process as an effort to achieve sustainable development goals. Sustainable
development goals have been internalized in periodical plans, medium term
expenditure framework and annual budget and program of federal, province and
local level.
16.6 A monitoring framework containing sustainable development target indicators
has also been developed. Arrangements have been made to mobilize and
coordinate the financial resources necessary to achieve the development goals,
including the implementation roadmap. A fiscal strategy is prepared with the
estimate of investment required to achieve the target.
16.7 A high-level Central Steering Committee under the chairmanship of the Prime
Minister, and a Sustainable Development Goals Coordination and
Implementation Committee under the chairmanship of the Vice Chair of the
National Planning Commission have been formed. Thematic Committees are also
formed in the chairmanship of members of NPC. There is also a Sustainable
Development and Good Governance Committee in the Federal Parliament to
facilitate the formulation and amendment of laws and regulations related to the
Sustainable Development Goals.
16.11 Five different targets have been set for poverty reduction under Goal 1. Nepal's
achievements is appreciating in the implementation of this goal. The
multidimensional poverty index has come down to 17.4 percent up to the review
period of 2019 and the population living below the absolute poverty line is
estimated at 15.1 percent. Employment and poverty alleviation targeted programs
and Encouragement and Education and skills enhancement programs are the
major reasons for reducing poverty.
16.12 Nepals Achievement on Zero hunger (Goal 2) is low. Under this goal, there are
four indicators undernutrition, child wastage, child stunting, and child mortality.
The percentage of child stunting has dropped to 25 percent by 2022 while it was
36 percent in 2016. The popularity percentage has dropped from 10 percent to 8
percent. Although per capita food production is satisfactory, the food security
index is 46-
16.13 Regarding Goal 3 - healthy lives and prosperous living standards, mixed progress
has been realized. The fertility rate is 2.1 up to now. Indicators including maternal
mortality, child mortality under the age of five, neonatal infant are on track. The
suicide rate during this period is higher than the base year. The proportion of births
assisted by skilled birth attendants is satisfactory.
16.14 The under-five mortality rate (per thousand live births) has fallen from 118 in
1996 to 33 in 2022. Similarly, the infant mortality rate (per thousand live births)
has decreased from 50 to 21 during the same period.'
16.15 Significant achievements have been made in Goal 4 - Inclusive Quality Education.
Although the proportion of the working age population with employable skills is
increasing, it is still low at around 31.0 percent. As status of learning achievement
in schools in Mathematics is 35; Nepali is 34; English is 41, it needs further
improvement. Although the overall enrollment rate of early childhood education
has improved, it is relatively low.
16.17 Encouraging progress has been made in Goal 6 –Access to Clean Water and
Sanitation. Among the major indicators related to drinking water and sanitation
sector, the population that has access to basic drinking water until mid-March of
2023 is 94.93 percent and the population has reached 25.69 percent with access
to drinking water of high medium level. Cent percent of the population has
accessed to basic sanitation. However, population access to processed sewer
system is low.
16.18 Achievement on Target 7 - Cheap and Clean Energy Indicators is modest. The
population with access to electricity is 95.0 percent, while the connected
electricity capacity has reached 2666 MW. On the other hand, the use of
conventional fuels and petroleum products is even higher. Population with access
to renewable energy is 7.5 percent.
16.19 Achievement on indicators of Goal 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth is
modest and more efforts are needed to achieve the goal. The average annual
growth rate of real GDP per capita for the last 10 years is 4.5 percent. Informal
employment in the agricultural sector is high. The situation of child labor has
improved marginally.
16.21 Achievement is remained almost constant on Goal 10 – Reducing Inequality. The
share of the bottom 40 percent and the top 10 percent in income is almost constant.
The consumption-based Gini coefficient has declined to 0.32 from 0.46 as in the
base year. Indicators such as Global Competitiveness Index and Ease of Doing
Business Index have also improved.'
16.25 The progress related to Target 15 - Life on Land is satisfactory. 44.7 percent of
the country's total land area is covered by forest, while protected area is 23.4
percent. Of which 42.7 percent forest is under community management.
Encouraging progress has been made in ecosystem and forest management. The
increasing number of tigers and rhinos signals the improvement of natural habitat
of the main species. Ecosystems in sensitive areas like Chure are becoming
vulnerable due to encroachment and erosion.
