A policy dialogue was organized to make suggestions on the draft of the Environment Protection (First Amendment) Regulations, 2024.
Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti
The Policy Research Institute organized a policy dialogue program with the participation of area experts and stakeholders to make suggestions on the draft Environmental Protection Regulations, 2024, prepared by the Ministry of Forest and Environment. The participants of the dialogue discussed the amendments and additions made to the existing provisions of Brief Environmental Study (BES), Initial Environmental Examination (IEE), and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be carried out by the development and construction projects stipulated in the Environmental Protection Regulation, 2020.
The amended regulations add the role of the provincial and local governments, inclusion in public hearings, self-declaration from experts involved in the project, a framework for Supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA), a framework for self-monitoring, periodic internal testing, provision of wildlife-friendly infrastructure in testing and impact assessment, safety and disaster management plans for socially and environmentally vulnerable communities, government consent and registration fees, and basic conditions for carbon trading. Participants, a diverse group that included environment lawyers, area experts, and private sector representatives, discussed these matters and presented various suggestions.
Participants minutely made suggestions on issues such as starting the reform with the Environmental Protection Law Amendment Act itself, expanding the concept of environment to all dimensions of the environment without limiting it to forests, addressing climate change through separate legislation, reducing the procedural hassles, making regulatory bodies accountable, keeping carbon trade open to the private sector following international treaties, and limiting the role of the state to coordination. The Policy Research Institute will synthesize these suggestions and submit a report to the Ministry of Forest and Environment.
Invited guests
- Anil K.C. (President, Nepal Environment Society)
- Batu Krishna Uprety (Former Joint Secretary, EIA Expert)
- Dr Binod Bhatta (Adjunct Professor, Agriculture and Forestry University)
- Dr Chiranjibi Bhattarai (Senior Research Fellow, Nepal Water Conservation Foundation
- Dr Dharam Raj Uprety (Climate Thematic Lead, Practical Action)
- Er. A. D. Lama (Senior Vice-President, Federation of Contractors’ Associations of Nepal)
- Mohan Das Manandhar (Chairperson, Sustainable Prosperity Initiative, Nepal
- Niranjan Shrestha (Chief Environmental Officer, Environmental Services Nepal)
- Padam Shrestha (President, Environmental Law Society)
- Prof Dr Ram Prasad Chaudhary (Emeritus Professor, Tribhuvan University)
- Purushottam Ghimire (Senior Advisor, Sustainable Prosperity Initiative, Nepal
- Raju Chauhan (Assistant Professor, Patan Multiple Campus)
- Sanot Adhikari (Chairperson, Youth Alliance for Environment)
- Shanker Bashyal (Executive Member, Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal
- Srjan Pant (Associate, Pioneer Law Associates)
- Subhash Kumar Sharma (Forestry Officer, Ministry of Forests and Environment
- Suraj Shrestha (Researcher, Environmental Law Society)
- Umesh Raj Rimal (Under-Secretary, OPMCM)
Policy Research Institute
- Prof Dr Lekhnath Sharma (Executive Chairperson)
- Dr Deepak Kumar Khadka (Head of Information and Knowledge Management Department)
- Dr Hari Sharma Neupane (Head of Research Department)
- Laxman Prasad Bhattarai (Office Manager)
- Dr Mukti Ram Rijal (Senior Research Fellow)
- Dr Kalpana Khanal (Senior Research Fellow)
- Rija Manandhar (Analyst)
- Bimal Chandra Sharma (Library Management Coordinator)
- Demij Maharjan (Intern)
- Jyoti Luintel (Intern)
- Pranjal Rijal (Intern)
- Sanjog Singh Kadayat (Intern)
- Soniya Bashyal (Intern)