Telegraph Nepal: The Nepalese Ministry of Environment launched the Nepal Climate Change Support Programme at the International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change in Kathmandu, April 5, 2012. The first phase of this Euro 16.5 m (NRs 1,800,000,000) programme aims to reduce the vulnerability of 2 million women and men in the Mid and Far West of Nepal where the impacts of climate change are already being felt.
The programme, with funding provided by the European Union (Euro 8.6m) and the UK DFID (Euro 7.9m) and technical support from UNDP, will be the first initiative to put the Government’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) into practice. The EU is providing this financial assistance from the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), which was formed in 2007 to help Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Development States (SIDS) to integrate climate change into their development planning.
As reflected in the May 2010 Joint EU – Asian LDC Declaration on climate change, the EU including the UK is committed to working together with the most vulnerable countries to mobilise political support for stronger action on climate change.
Secretary of Environment, Mr Krishna Gyawali said, ‘This programme is the first to put Nepal’s Climate Change Policy and NAPA into action, ensuring that at least 80% of resources reaches the local level where it is desperately needed’
The Ministry of Environment led programme will also be the first to help communities in the Mid and Far West implement urgent and immediate adaptation actions as in included in the NAPA through the National Framework on Local Adaptation Plan for Action, that respond to needs identified at village level. For example: support for irrigation, landslide and 
flood protection, access to clean energy and introduction of more climate resilient crops.
Dr. Alexander Spachis from the EU said ‘We are very pleased to see that the Government of Nepal is taking steps to develop policies and programmes for climate resilience, such as implementation of the National Adaptation Programme of Action through Local Adaptation Plans for Action. We believe this will help the Government of Nepal to integrate climate change into its development planning, as well as implement concrete measures at the local level to help the most vulnerable and poor rural communities to adapt to the consequences of changes in climate.
The first phase of the programme will focus on 14 Districts in the mid and Far West of Nepal (Humla, Mugu, Dolpa, Bajura, Jumla, Jajarkot, Rukum, Achham, Dailekh, Rolpa, Kailali, Bardiya, Kalikot and Dang) which the NAPA identified as the most climate vulnerable and in urgent support need of assistance.
Mr Philip Marker, UK Climate Change Envoy for Asia said, ‘The UK’s support for NCCSP will help the vulnerable adapt and will have a specific focus on helping women and disadvantaged communities cope with the challenges climate change is bringing. The UK plans to provide further support in the future.’
