The Ministry of Forests and Environment Nepal has entered into strategic agreement with WWF to enhance cooperation in conservation and sustainable development of the biodiversity in Himalayan country. The plan is designed to enable the agreement to be in the form of a Scope of Cooperation (SoC) to streamline the joint initiatives with the national priorities of Nepal and the global environmental obligations.
A statement made by WWF Nepal says that the partnership will contribute to priorities in policy areas, such as biodiversity protection, forest conservation, mitigating climate change, wetland management, sustainable agriculture, and other development objectives. It is also consistent with the global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national planning strategies of Nepal.
The treaty also underscores the need to have landscape level conservation strategies and species based action plans so that there is effective implementation on the ground. It emphasizes the importance of combining scientific research with community-based projects, where conservation cannot be done at the expense of local livelihoods.
The Country Representative of WWF Nepal, Ghana Shyam Gurung, observed that the partnership is an expression of mutual concern to preserve the rich natural heritage in Nepal as well as enhance the livelihoods of communities who rely on the ecosystems. He further said that the collaboration will work on achieving science-based and community-based conservation solutions.
The SoC will see both parties collaboratively create and execute programmes in guarded domains and essential ecological landscapes. To implement these initiatives, government departments, provincial forest ministries, and local agencies will collaborate closely with WWF Nepal to carry out these initiatives in a coordinated and effective manner to conserve the country.