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| Ministry of Forests and Environment (Nepal) | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Ministry of Forests and Environment (Nepal) |
| Native name | वन तथा वातावरण मन्त्रालय |
| Formed | 2018 (current form) |
| Jurisdiction | Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal |
| Headquarters | Singha Durbar, Kathmandu |
| Minister | Minister for Forests and Environment |
| Parent agency | Council of Ministers |
Ministry of Forests and Environment (Nepal) is the central executive body responsible for formulation and implementation of policy on forestry, biodiversity, watershed management, and climate-related matters in the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The ministry interfaces with national bodies such as the National Planning Commission (Nepal), provincial governments like Gandaki Province, international actors including the United Nations Environment Programme and Green Climate Fund, and civil society organizations such as Nepalese Federation of Indigenous Nationalities to harmonize natural resource stewardship across Kathmandu and the country's ecological regions.
The institution traces its lineage to colonial-era administrative arrangements reshaped during the Rana regime and the Panchayat system, later reconstituted after the People's Movement (1990) and again following the Nepalese Constituent Assembly election, 2008 and the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015. Successive reorganizations linked the ministry with portfolios managed by ministries responsible for Agriculture in Nepal, Environment Protection Council (Nepal), and Local Development Ministry of Nepal; notable restructurings occurred under cabinets led by leaders such as Sher Bahadur Deuba and Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli. The evolution paralleled initiatives like the Community Forestry Program (Nepal) and legal frameworks including the Forest Act, 1993 and the Environment Protection Act, 1997.
The ministry's statutory mandate covers policy formulation, regulatory oversight, and program implementation for sectors governed by instruments such as the Forest Act, 2019 (Nepal) and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). It coordinates national responses to multilateral agreements including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, while supervising agencies like the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (Nepal), the Department of Plant Resources (Nepal), and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (Nepal). The ministry also liaises with financial institutions such as the World Bank, bilateral partners like USAID, and philanthropic organizations including the World Wildlife Fund to mobilize resources for programs such as REDD+.
The ministry is led politically by the Minister of Forests and Environment and administratively by the Secretary (Nepal), with technical wings organized into divisions responsible for forests, biodiversity, watershed management, climate change, and legal affairs. Subordinate bodies include the Forest Research and Training Centre (Nepal), the Biodiversity Conservation Center (Nepal), and regional offices aligned with provinces such as Province No. 1 and Lumbini Province. It maintains statutory bodies like the Nepal Forestry Research and Development Fund and consultative mechanisms comprising representatives from Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation, and indigenous groups represented by Indigenous Nationalities Federation.
Major national initiatives administered or supported by the ministry include the Community Forestry Program (Nepal), the Terai Arc Landscape Program, the Payment for Ecosystem Services piloting, and afforestation drives aligned with the National Climate Change Policy (Nepal). Programs target restoration in landscapes such as the Chure/Siwalik Hills and river basins like the Koshi River, integrating livelihood components for stakeholders including Janajati communities and Dalit groups. Policy instruments interact with statutory regimes including the Environmental Assessment Procedures and cross-sectoral plans endorsed by the National Planning Commission (Nepal).
The ministry oversees management of protected areas such as Chitwan National Park, Sagarmatha National Park, Bardia National Park, and conservation units like the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and the Annapurna Conservation Area. It administers buffer zone programs, transboundary initiatives with neighboring states such as India and China, and species-specific recovery efforts for taxa like the One-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Red panda, and migratory waterbirds listed under the Ramsar Convention. Collaboration occurs with research institutions like Tribhuvan University and international NGOs such as IUCN to implement science-based conservation and community-based management.
As focal authority for climate negotiations, the ministry prepares Nepal’s submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and manages instruments including the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Adaptation Fund, and engagements with the Green Climate Fund. It coordinates adaptation programs in climate-vulnerable regions such as the Himalayas and the Terai, partners with multilateral development banks like the Asian Development Bank and bilateral partners from Germany and Norway, and participates in regional platforms such as the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
The ministry faces challenges including illegal logging linked to cross-border networks involving regions such as Koshi and Mechi, human–wildlife conflict incidents in districts like Chitwan District and Bardia District, and disputes over resource governance between central authorities and provincial entities in Province No. 2. Controversies have arisen over projects financed by institutions such as the World Bank and bilateral donors, land tenure conflicts affecting communities represented by Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal, and implementation gaps identified by watchdogs including Transparency International Nepal and international auditors.
Category:Government ministries of Nepal Category:Environment of Nepal