Nepal is a nascent, fast-evolving democracy and yet many towns still have a distinctly rural character with an agro-based economy. The country is dealing with a rapidly increasing urban population in search of better socio-economic opportunities. Unplanned development and inadequate investment in basic services, coupled with the impacts of climate change, is exacerbating existing inequity and environmental degradation, making the region highly susceptible to climate hazards such as flooding and landslides.

This policy brief assesses the challenges in undertaking local climate mitigation and adaptation actions in Nepal municipalities and makes recommendations for developing and mainstreaming resilience plans. It aims to help municipalities and climate practitioners deal with challenges such as lack of clarity about the role of government agencies, lack of technical capacity among municipal staff, and limited finances by using available tools of resilience planning.

Recommendations include:

• Building synergy and coordination among government institutions;
• Increasing financial availability;
• Promoting an integrated approach to climate mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction; and
• Strengthening the capacity of local governments.

Download the policy brief here.