IUCN - The World Conversation Union

Objective: “To promote biodiversity conservation, environmental justice and sustainable livelihoods in Nepal.”

Our programme is designed to maximize synergies and minimize trade-offs between the three parts of the objective above. The framework provides the structure for the design and implementation of programmes and projects we undertake with our members and partners. It comprises several key elements:

Ecosystem Focus: We concentrate our efforts on the following key ecosystem areas:

  • Forests: a major resource base in Nepal, they support important biodiversity, and provide diverse ecosystem services.  We need to ensure that they continue to support rural people’s livelihoods.
  • Freshwater: some of the poorest and most marginalized communities in Nepal depend on wetland and other water resources for their livelihoods. They also have regional and global value. Proper management can halt or even reverse the deterioration of freshwater bodies and provide additional livelihood opportunities.
   • Agriculture: the majority of Nepal’s rural population is dependent on agriculture but unsustainable agricultural practices threaten rural livelihoods and food security. Promoting sustainable practices can conserve agro- biodiversity while enhancing livelihood security.

Target Groups: the most disadvantaged groups in Nepal are also those most dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, and most vulnerable to environmental shocks and natural disasters. In particular, these are the lower caste Dalit, women and ethnic groups. The roles and responsibilities of women to manage natural resources is growing as men are increasingly forced to migrate to cities or even abroad for jobs to support their families. IUCN Nepal has, therefore, identified “poor and socially excluded households and women dependent on biodiversity for livelihood security” as direct beneficiaries.

Cross-cutting Priorities: we aim to ensure that our efforts are targetted in the right way, and that they bring lasting change. We will, therefore, alignthe programme with five cross-cutting priorities: equity; livelihoods; sustainability; conflict and partnerships. These priorities will guide the way IUCN works at all stages of the project cycle from design to final review. We will measure our programme activities against these cross-cutting priorities to ensure that the key issues in Nepal are tackled.

Thematic Programme Areas (TPAs): we have established five mutually supportive TPAs which help integrate the different programme components for increased impact and efficiency:

1. Environmental Governance: to promote better environmental governance to conserve, use and manage the environment and natural resources equitably and sustainably from the local to national level. Ensuring better environmental governance requires focusing on the social dimensions of sustainable natural resource use and ecosystem management as well as on the technical management aspects. Central to this TPA are considerations of fairness, equity, gender, justice and upholding human rights and international obligations.

2. Ecosystem Management: to promote equitable and effective ecosystem management for improved biodiversity conservation and livelihood security. This is the basis for sustainable development and human security, and is therefore a fundamental requirement for meeting the MDGs. This TPA adopts a pro-poor approach and places livelihood security at the centre of biodiversity management. It promotes the equitable sharing of the costs and benefits of natural resource management, in particular for the most disadvantaged people.

3. Environmental Economics: to identify and promote economic and  financial measures which integrate the full economic value of biodiversity and equitable cost-benefit sharing at the local and national level. Environmental resources have immense economic value, often not recognised or protected, and consequently suffer from factors such as poverty, inequitable growth, inappropriate economic policies and market distortions. This TPA is working to build capacity to deal with these issues and ensure that conservation makes good economic sense for sustainable development.

4. Climate Change: to facilitate understanding of potential threats of climate change and help build capacity for mitigation and adaptation. Climate change is one of the most pressing concerns of the 21st century.  Warming temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increased extreme climatic events are likely to affect Nepal. This TPA's focus is on addressing the challenges to Nepal's biodiversity and most vulnerable communities.

5. Conservation Learning: to facilitate learning, manage knowledge and strengthen cooperation between IUCN members, commissions, partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries from the local to the global level.  The world is facing increasing challenges in responding to the complexities and uncertainties of sustainable development. This TPA facilitates learning and innovation to address these challenges at all levels, and is linked to regional and global learning networks.