Representatives from Sikkim and West Bengal including ICIMOD and GBPNIHESD during the national consultation. L-R: Dr Hemant K Badola, Dr K S Rao, Dr Thomas Chandi, Prof Dr T B Subba, Mr Brij M S Rathore, Dr P T Bhutia and Dr Nakul Chettri

The G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development, (GBPNIHESD), the Indian nodal organisation with support from Government of West Bengal and Sikkim, organised a day long consultative meeting on 15 May 2016 in Gangtok, Sikkim to discuss board activities for the first phase (2016-2020) of the implementation of the Kangchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KLCDI). High profile representatives from West Bengal and Sikkim along with major stakeholders engaged in the process of KLCDI participation the meeting in Gangtok. The event was chaired by the vice chancellor of Sikkim University.

Through national and regional consultative processes developing both country and regional level Feasibility Assessment Reports (FARs) and Conservation and Development Strategies — a process that spanned 2012-2015 — the preparatory phase of KLCDI was consolidated. Resulting documents support the development of the Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF) along with strategic plans spanning the next 20 years with an implementation plan for 2016-2020 included.

With the endorsement of the RCF, a policy document encouraging regional cooperation between Nepal, Bhutan, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and its key partners, the initiative enters its development stage and will focus on interventions in select pilot sites in Bhutan, Nepal and India. The concept note prepared will be based on outputs focusing on the first phase of implementation plan for next five years.

During the meeting, progress was made in the preparatory phase was shared and the implementation of broad activities focusing on the three pilot areas identified and discussed. Focus on regional and transboundary issues, including human wildlife conflict and fund raising, were set as priorities.

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