The Adaptation Fund under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has accredited the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) as its National Implementing Entity (NIE) for Nepal.
Established in 1982 by a Legislative Act, NTNC is an autonomous and not-for-profit organisation mandated to work in the field of nature conservation in Nepal. It has been working closely with the Ministry of Forests and Environment to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable management, and collaborating with the government on climate adaptation planning and effective implementation to address climate issues.
It received the Adaptation Fund’s recognition at the 29th Conference of Parties (COP-29) held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, reported RSS, the state-owned news agency. The selection will ease the process to bring finance for climate adaptation programmes in the country, according to Nepali officials.
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Implementing entities are the national, regional and multilateral institutions accredited by the Adaptation Fund Board to receive direct financial transfers from the Fund in order to carry out adaptation projects and programmes.
Such a project can receive up to Rs 1.35 billion from the adaptation fund, according to RSS. Along with Nepal, 34 agencies have been accredited as national implementing entities across the globe so far.
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Dr. Manish Raj Pandey, Chief of the Department of Climate Change and Knowledge Management at NTNC, told RSS that the organisation has been selected for the first time to bring adaptation finance to Nepal and facilitate the formulation and implementation of projects related to climate adaptation. “NTNC has been selected after passing several procedural stages since 2022,” said Pandey.
Previously, NTNC was chosen as a national entity for the Green Climate Fund and is currently involved in its implementation.
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For the past 15 years, the Adaptation Fund has been selecting various multilateral, regional, and national entities capable of identifying, developing, and implementing climate adaptation projects.
“Bringing projects to address climate-related disasters and losses and implementing them is a positive step for Nepal,” said Dr. Naresh Subedi, Member Secretary at NTNC. “Currently, NTNC, with the support of the Green Climate Fund, is coordinating with the Ministry of Forests and Environment, the Forest and Soil Conservation Department, and IUCN to implement a project in the Gandaki river basin area.”
The project is related to community, ecological systems, and climate governance.
RSS
