Posted on January, 06 2020

Kathmandu, 30 December 2019 - In a bid to spur knowledge production, discussion, and awareness around critical environmental issues in the country, WWF Nepal and the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) have formalized a 5-year working partnership.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two parties, expressing mutual commitment towards leveraging the knowledge, resources and networks of both organizations efficiently and effectively to promote scientific and technological advancement for development and environmental conservation.

At the MoU signing ceremony, Dr. Sunil Babu Shrestha, NAST Vice Chancellor, underscored the importance of fostering an enabling environment for the advancement of environmental research and nature conservation.

“This partnership will further our ambition to ensure that national environmental policies are driven by research,” he said.  “NAST will contribute to formulating evidence-based policies and enhancing the capacities of local, provincial, and federal governments.”

In his remarks, Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung, Country Representative of WWF Nepal, highlighted the importance of investing in research, science, and evidence-based policies — especially given the burgeoning global climate crisis. 

“This partnership marks an important step forward in unlocking Nepal’s full potential in contributing to global research on climate change impacts and key environmental processes," he said.