KATHMANDU, APRIL 12
Nepal has launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening climate adaptation financing for local governments, targeting vulnerable communities facing increasing climate risks.
The Local Climate Adaptive Living (LoCAL) Facility, developed by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), was formally launched in Kathmandu on April 9.
The programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Forests and Environment in coordination with local governments, with financial support from Australia and Sweden.
Under the initiative, local governments will receive performance-based grants to implement climate resilience projects such as climate-smart agriculture, water management and resilient infrastructure.
Five rural municipalities in Lumbini Province-Bijayanagar (Kapilvastu), Rapti, Rajpur and Gadhawa (Dang), and Sarumarani (Pyuthan)-have been selected for the first phase.
They will receive an initial allocation of about 925,000 US dollars, part of a broader commitment of up to 1.9 million dollars over two fiscal years.
Officials said the programme aims to integrate climate financing into national planning systems while strengthening local capacity to respond to climate-induced disasters such as floods, droughts and extreme weather.
