11^th September 2024: WWF Nepal has signed a tripartite Project Implementation Agreement with the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) and Ministry of Forest and Environment Bagmati Province for “Managing Watersheds for Enhanced Resilience of Communities to Climate Change in Nepal" (MaWRiN) Project. This landmark agreement will facilitate the mobilization of US $9 million in funding through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The MaWRin project was prepared by the WWF GEF agency under the leadership of MoFE in coordination with the Ministry of Finance. WWF Nepal has also signed a Financing Agreement with the Ministry of Finance prior to signing the project implementation agreement.

While climate change poses one of the biggest challenges to sustainable development in all of Nepal, it is specifically pronounced in the Marin Watershed, which has recently been identified as one of the most vulnerable areas in the country. To be implemented over a period of six years by WWF in close association with the MoFE as the national executing agency and MoFE Bagmati Province as executing partner, the project will enable the government and local stakeholders to invest in protecting the Marin watershed while bolstering the longer-term resilience of local and indigenous communities against climate emergencies through nature-based solutions and livelihood diversification.

“WWF Nepal is deeply honored by the government's trust in our organization to lead this critical project. Drawing upon our proven track record of delivering impactful conservation initiatives, successfully completing the GEF-5 project with ongoing GEF-6 project and enhancing community livelihoods in our operational areas, we are committed to translating climate discourse into tangible action through this endeavor. The MaWRin project is poised to provide sustainable and meaningful support to communities affected by climate change, demonstrating our dedication to both environmental stewardship and social responsibility.” remarked Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung, Country Representative of WWF Nepal.

The project seeks to provide an enabling environment for mainstreaming climate change in local plans and policies and enhance resilience of local communities to climate change through increased adaptive capacity of vulnerable households to climate induced disasters.

We welcome this tripartite agreement securing LDCF funding, which promises significant benefits for our state and citizens. The provincial government is fully committed to make this project a success. Our focus now shifts to the crucial task of delivering results and improving the lives of our citizens. In this endeavor, we place our full confidence in WWF Nepal's expertise and capacity to implement impactful initiatives. This collaboration represents a vital step towards addressing climate challenges and fostering sustainable development in our nation.” stated, Mr. Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan, Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Bagmati Province.

“The Government of Nepal expresses profound gratitude for the funding received from the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), which prioritizes our nation's interests. This grant enables us to leverage our natural capital effectively while avoiding the burden of additional debt, in line with the government strategy. As a country particularly vulnerable to climate change, Nepal stands to benefit significantly from such targeted financial support. We have full faith in MoFE Bagmati and WWF Nepal to deliver tangible results, concluded Mr. Badri Raj Dhungana, Division Chief, Joint Secretary (Tech.), Planning, Monitoring and Coordination Division. Ministry of Forests and Environment