Climate Change Policy (2011).

This Policy is a cross-sectoral national policy document addressing climate change issues. The main goal of this Policy is to improve livelihoods by mitigating and adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change, adopting a low-carbon emissions socio-economic development path and supporting and collaborating in the spirits of country's commitments to national and international agreements related to climate change. The Policy consists of 14 Parts: 1. Background of the Policy; 2. Past Efforts; 3. Present Situation; 4. Problems and Challenges; 5. the Need for a New Policy; 6. Goal; 7. Objectives; 8.Policies; 9. Strategies and Working Policy; 10. Institutional Structure; 11. Financial Aspect; 12. Legal Aspect; 13. Monitoring and Evaluation; 14. Risk.
The main target in the field of sustainable development concern formulation and implementation of a low carbon economic development strategy that supports climate-resilient socioeconomic development. Key policies relevant to agriculture and forestry are (Part 8): Prioritizing and implementing programmes on the sustainable management of forests, agro-forestry, pasture, rangeland, and soil conservation that can address the impacts of climate change; Encouraging investments in clean energy sources with priority on Hydropower; Conserving soil and water through measures such as source protection, rain water harvesting, and environmental sanitation; Developing a mechanism for optimal utilization of international, regional and local funding sources, including reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD); Adopting a basin approach for water management through regular monitoring of water resource availability.
Concerning reducing rural poverty, two of the objectives of this Policy are to improve the living standard of people by maximum utilization of the opportunities created from the climate change-related conventions, protocols and agreements, and to enhance the climate adaptation and resilience capacity of local communities for optimum utilization of natural resources and their efficient management (Part 7). Main strategies are: Identifying the people, communities and areas impacted by climate change and implementing adaptation and impact mitigation measures based on local knowledge, skills and technologies (8.1.5); Updating information and building capacity from local to policy level (8.4.1); Ensuring the participation of poor people, Dalits, marginalized indigenous communities, women, children and youth in the implementation of climate adaptation and climate change-related programmes; Allocating at least 80 percent of available funds for field-level climate change activities (8.4.2); Developing and implementing a scientific land use system (8.7.1); Proper utilization, promotion, conservation of forest resources as a means of alternative livelihoods(8.7.2); Introducing agriculture and disaster insurance in climate change affected areas (9.10).
This Policy seeks to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, mostly using a twin-track approach. Key elements are (Part 6-8): Establishment of a Climate Change Centre for conducting climate change research and monitoring, and regularly providing policy and technical advice to the Government; Assessment of losses and benefits from climate change in various geographical areas and development sectors; Promotion of climate adaptation and adoption of effective measures to address adverse impacts of climate change through technology development and transfer, public awareness raising, capacity building and access to financial resources; Development of a reliable impact forecasting system to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change in vulnerable areas of the mountain, hill, Churiya, and Terai and in natural resources and people's livelihood; Promotion of carbon sequestration and investing some of the benefits from the use of forest products for controlling forest fires and conserving forests; Monitoring the status of glaciers and glacier lakes through studies and implement adaptation activities in priority vulnerable glaciers; Forecasting water-induced disasters and risks created from climate change and providing early warning information, developing necessary mechanism for the implementation of preventive measures and ensuring regular supervision, and enhancing capacity; Establishing a Climate Change Fund for mobilizing the financial resources.
The Climate Change Council shall coordinate all climate change programmes at policy level and the Ministry of Environment (MoE) shall act at functional level. A Climate Change Centre Shall be established as a technical institution for the formulation and implementation of climate change-related programmes and research. MoE shall be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of this Policy. The local institutions shall implement, monitor and evaluate the local level programmes and report to the MoE. The budget, annual programme and progress of the projects/programmes related to climate change shall be submitted to the Climate Change Council and related agencies.