Investment to accelerate innovations for clean air

Organisers: ICIMOD, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce, and Industry (FNCCI), and SCS Global Registry

About the event

In collaboration with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce, and Industry (FNCCI), and SCS Global Registry, we are organising a national consultation workshop to create a dynamic platform for stakeholders to learn and contribute to developing a shared understanding of the climate finance opportunities for accelerating innovation with the potential to address the current alarming air pollution and meet the country’s net-zero emission targets.

This will lead to the building of a framework document ‘Investments for Accelerating Innovations for Clean Air’ initiated by ICIMOD and SCS Global Registry in partnership with VNV Advisory Services that will enhance the capabilities of wider interested stakeholders to strategise their actions and mobilise resources for more sustainable and cleaner economic sectors in the future.

This event is supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)-funded Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) under the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme.

Objectives

• Discuss the financial opportunities to reduce air and climate pollutants to achieve countries’ net-zero emissions targets
• Build a common understanding of the investment opportunities that will guide the development of the framework document

Background

Air pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) – spanning Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – is on the rise, and regional air quality has worsened in the past two decades, with the Indo-Gangetic Plain now one of the most polluted regions in the world. In many places in the region, both urban and rural, air pollution has reached alarming levels, affecting the health of millions of people. The drivers of air pollution in the HKH are also linked to climate change. The largest sources of emissions in the region include residential sources, open burning of agricultural residue, forest fires, and waste burning, and industries such as brick, cement, iron/steel, and transportation.

Addressing air pollution and climate change issues in the region requires a collaborative approach with investment as one of the driving forces. Innovation and the adoption of sustainable practices for driving meaningful change can only happen with investment as the primary catalyst.