National REDD-plus Strategy of Nepal

The strategy is a critical element of the REDD-plus readiness preparation process, which aims to develop policies and modalities for institutions, governance mechanisms, and implementation to achieve both REDD-plus and domestic development objectives. The development of the national REDD-plus strategy in Nepal is a collaborative effort involving various stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, and international partners. The strategy is being pursued under the five-year project funded by USAID titled "HARIYO BAN PROGRAM", which is being implemented by WWF Nepal and a consortium of partners. A four-pronged approach has been used to develop the framework structure for Nepal's national REDD-plus strategy. Firstly, the REDD-plus strategies, Readiness Preparation Proposals (R-PPs), and other relevant literature of selected countries were reviewed. Secondly, the available literature on topics relevant to national REDD-plus strategy development were reviewed to evaluate the issues and challenges of this process. Thirdly, the decisions of the Conference of Parties (COPs) relevant to different aspects of the REDD-plus strategy development were taken into consideration. Lastly, the existing issues and challenges on the ground in Nepal were evaluated and included in the national REDD-plus strategy. The consolidated framework structure of Nepal's national REDD-plus strategy is provided in the second section, and the elaborated framework structure is provided in the third section. The elaborated framework structure attempts to clarify the intent of the national REDD-plus strategy, explain the basic requirements derived from a literature review, and further build upon the elements planned or documented in the R-PP. This report also elaborates on the content of the sections and sub-sections, and an annex titled "Notes and Elaborations" is included to provide details on points in need of further elaboration. The national REDD-plus strategy of Nepal is guided by several key elements, including a strategic road map, guiding principles, scope, scale, implementation approach, forest reference emission level (REL), and financing mechanism. The strategy also emphasizes the importance of existing policy and institutional context for REDD-plus, including forest, biodiversity, environment, and climate change, as well as social and environmental safeguards. The assessment of land use, land use change drivers, forest law, policy, and governance is a critical component of the REDD-plus strategy preparation process. This assessment aims to identify the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, and the underlying causes, as well as the available range of strategy options to address these drivers. The assessment also aims to evaluate the policies, institutions, and governance mechanisms that can be reformed, coordinated, and synergized to effectively address the drivers while linking these efforts to meeting national development objectives. The national REDD-plus strategy of Nepal is a critical step towards achieving the country's development objectives, including reducing poverty, improving livelihoods, and promoting sustainable forest management. The strategy provides a framework for the development of policies and modalities for institutions, governance mechanisms, and implementation to achieve both REDD-plus and domestic development objectives.