Freshwater ecosystem assessment handbook

Background

The Government of Nepal launched the Hydropower Environmental Impact Assessment Manual in 2018 as as a guiding document for environment impact assessment (EIA), in line with international good business practices in the hydropower sector. With the endorsement of the manual, an in-depth capacity assessment and gap analysis with a particular focus on EIA was carried out in Nepal’s hydropower sector. It highlighted the need to build the capacity of stakeholders on conducting freshwater ecosystem assessments as a part of the EIA process. It also recommended a handbook to build the capacity of stakeholders and guide freshwater ecosystem assessments using standard tools and techniques.

About the handbook

The Freshwater Ecosystem Assessment Handbook is envisaged as a guiding document for the conservation and sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems in Nepal. It can be used to build capacity on freshwater ecosystem assessment and will be useful to those in the hydropower sector – such as hydropower proponents and EIA reviewers and consultants – as well as for researchers, environmental professionals, students, and policy makers. This handbook aims to provide understanding on theoretical concepts and standard tools and techniques for the assessment of different components and parameters of freshwater ecosystems as a part of EIAs in the hydropower sector.

The handbook shall serve as a complementary guidance document to the Hydropower Environmental Impact Assessment Manual (2018) and support implementation of the manual. It will be developed by ICIMOD under the guidance of the Ministry of Forests and Environment and its Forest Research and Training Centre (FRTC), Government of Nepal, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

About the consultation

An outline of the handbook has been drafted in collaboration with the FTRC and IFC for further discussion with experts and policy makers. This consultation aims to make the handbook comprehensive while supporting the implementation of the Hydropower Environmental Impact Assessment Manual by seeking inputs and gathering recommendations from experts, policy makers, and other stakeholders. The specific objectives of the consultation are as follows:

• Discuss the handbook’s structure and extended outline
• Seek inputs and recommendations on the contents with a specific focus on the components, parameters, and methods of freshwater ecosystem assessment

Attend the virtual consultation by clicking this link.

Agenda