Posted on August, 16 2020

In a bid to ease the implementation of environmental activities at the local level, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) has recently approved “Environment Assessment Guidelines” for local governments.

The newly approved document charts a series of Standardized Operating Procedures to guide future environmental studies at local levels. It will also support the implementation of activities related to the Environment Protection Regulation, 2020 and the Environment and Natural Resources Conservation Act Framework (ENRCA) at the local level. This includes a detailed roadmap for conducting Brief Environment Studies (BES) and Initial Environment Examination (IEE) reports.

“This is a major step forward in empowering local governments with the tools required to fully implement the ENRCA, and other environmental initiatives. In the long run, these guidelines will lead to a more inclusive environmental governance approach, and will encourage wider participation across all levels of decision-making,” said Ek Raj Sigdel, WWF Nepal’s Policy & Governance Specialist.

The guidelines were prepared by Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) with technical support from WWF Nepal. Key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Ministry of Urban Development, Department of Local Infrastructure, Department of Roads, and the National Planning Commission also provided critical input and contributions.  

The Environment Assessment Guidelines were formally endorsed and released by MoFAGA on 3^rd August, 2020 , following a three-month exchange of dialogue across stakeholder committees.
 

-----------

Contact:

Shayasta Tuladhar, Senior Officer - Communications and Education, WWF Nepal

Email: shayasta.tuladhar@wwfnepal.org