Back to news
29 Jan 2016 | News

Developing PES Policy

1 min Read

70% Complete

ICIMOD has been actively engaged in Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) policy formulation support with Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation Government of Nepal (MFSC/GoN), and other conservation partners, including World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal.

As part of the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP), ICIMOD supported the organisation of a national validation workshop on PES policy in Nepal 19 January 2016. More than 90 participants, including high level government officials and policy makers, representatives from the private sector, civil society and academicians participated in and contributed to the daylong workshop.

Hon’ble Minister Agni Prasad Sapkota delivering his opening remarks

In his opening remarks at the national workshop on PES policy, Honorable Minister Agni Prasad Sapkota committed to endorse the PES policy for sustainable management of resources and proper allocation of benefits to local communities. In his remarks, Minister Sapkota appreciated the work by the PES task force – a seven member  comprising of representatives from the Department of Forests (DoF), Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), WWF Nepal, ICIMOD, .IUCN .and NTNC, formed under the aegis of Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation. Additionally, he lauded  support from ICIMOD, WWF and other conservation partners in the formulation of a draft policy on PES.

Dr Eklabya Sharma, Director Programme Operations at ICIMOD

Dr Eklabya Sharma, Director Programme Operations at ICIMOD, highlighted the importance of a specific policy addressing PES for the overall management of ecosystems and underpinning sustainable livelihoods in the mountainous terrain.  He praised the Government of Nepal for initiating a national policy on PES, possibly the first in the region . Dr Sharma also noted ICIMOD will be closely working with Tribhuvan University developing PES related curricula in its post graduate programme.

Dr Uday Chandra Thakur, Secretary,  Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, and chair of the opening session, acknowledged the support received from various partners, including ICIMOD. The secretary also committed to take the draft policy further for government formal approval.

In a session marking the closure of the session, the PES task force agreed to incorporate suggestions received from the floor in the draft PES policy document, and formally handed over the drafted PES policy to the Minister.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related Content

Continue exploring this topic

Building air quality monitoring skills within the HKH to ensure reliable data generation

ICIMOD’s Atmosphere Initiative together with government counterparts (the Department of Environment in Nepal and the National Environment Commission in Bhutan) ...

2 May 2015 News
Earthquake brief (2 May)

In the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Nepal on 25 April 2015, ICIMOD has been using its ...

Third UIBN–AC Meeting discusses data gaps in Upper Indus basin research

The UIBN–AC Meeting was primarily held to recap previous meetings, discuss the progress made by the country chapter’s Technical Working ...

8 Apr 2016 Livelihoods
Bees Boost Business for Bhutan’s Farmers

Tshering Wangdi Sherpa was a small farmer living in Darachu, Bhutan who kept a few colonies of honeybees in log ...

30 Nov 2018 Cryosphere
Knowledge sharing on the 3D motion of glaciers in China’s Central Tien Shan region

Li’s work focused on the derivation of high-resolution 3D glacier motion to understand the interaction between a glacial lake and ...

6 Oct 2016 News
Pakistani Policy Makers Visit Upper Indus Basin Pilot Projects

A field visit to enhance understanding of ongoing International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) activities in Pakistan through exposure ...

10 Feb 2015 News
Myanmar to lead the way with ecotourism in protected areas

On 19–21 May 2015, the Government of Myanmar launched its ambitious Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy for Protected Areas, developed ...

5 May 2017 Himalica
Promoting the Yak and Sea Buckthorn Value Chains in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

ICIMOD and AKSRP organized a training to promote these value chains and build the capacities of community members from the ...