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Stocktaking of local adaptation plans and initiatives in the changing political context in Nepal

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Abstract

Climate change has multiple impacts on the people’s livelihood. Adaptation is not new concept since multiple stakeholders including the communities have been coping and adapting to the changing climate. This paper explores the opinions and perceptions of climate experts on the local adaptation plans in the changing political context in Nepal. The Delphi research technique was applied to gather the information from the experts through the open-ended questions via online questionnaire survey. The local government units have more power and authorities in the new governance structure. The experts expressed the need for specific and evidence-based capacity building for the newly elected government officers at the local and provincial levels to successfully implement the local adaptation plans. It is also important to effectively utilize and track the climate finance allocated at the local level. The experts have mixed perceptions and observations on the Nepal Climate Change Support Programme in Nepal.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Sources: NPC (2011), MoF (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), MoFALD (2018)

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Notes

  1. VDC used to be the lowest administrative unit in Nepal, which is now changed into rural municipalities and municipalities by combining more than one VDC after the declaration of Federal Democratic Republic Country.

  2. B.S.—Bikram Sambhat is a national Nepali calendar which starts from 14 of April. It is an ancient and original era of Nepal started by the emperor Bikramaditya as the official calendar of Nepal which differs with English AD by 57 years.

  3. DEECCCC and M/VEECCCC—District Energy, Environment and Climate Change Coordination Committee and Municipal/Village Energy, Environment Climate Change Coordination Committee.

    GESI—Gender and Social Inclusion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of International Development and Cooperation (IDEC), Hiroshima University, 1-3-2, Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, 739-0046, Japan

    Shree Kumar Maharjan

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Correspondence to Shree Kumar Maharjan.

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Maharjan, S.K. Stocktaking of local adaptation plans and initiatives in the changing political context in Nepal. Environ Dev Sustain 23, 3199–3217 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00713-1

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