Kathmandu, January 24:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Environment Union (IUCN) Nepal today signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a long-term project to sensitise the issue of environment in the constitution to be formed through the election of the constituent assembly.

Surendra Shrestha, regional director of the UNEP, and Prabhu Budhathoki, the country representative of the ICUN Nepal, signed the document for “Mainstreaming Environmental Rights and Sustainable Development into the New Constitution of Nepal” in the capital today.

“Democracy is linked to sustainable economy, which is further linked to the sustainability of environmental goods and services.

These are the three building blocks of sustainable development,” Budhathoki said.

Surendra Shrestha said challenges for sustainable development and sustained economic growth are in the forefront of the political leadership.

Within this partnership agreement, three major projects are being initiated. The IUCN is leading the project on “Mainstreaming Environmental Rights and Sustainable Development

into the New Constitution of Nepal”, WWF Nepal will lead “Post Conflict Assessment” and NTNC will lead the project on “Bagmati Riover Conservation”.