The government has also recently begun to provide incentives
for rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in cities to counter
still-occurring power outages. These PV systems for electricity
complement already extensive use of solar-powered hot water
systems by urban residents.
Nepal has also done great things on land use over the last
several decades. Its innovative community forest management
programme has massively increased forest cover across the
country over the past two decades, and has improved the
ability of degraded lands to serve some 20,000 communities’
economic needs, protect biodiversity, improve water
management, and sequester carbon.
Nepal, like many developing nations, is eager to receive
international support for its climate mitigation and adaptation
needs, hoping to have rich nations, who are responsible
for the majority of global emissions, pay the bill for energy
and climate adaptation. The reality, though, of rapidly
spreading climate impacts and human development needs
has encouraged Nepal to move ahead with these programmes
even without the larger flows of foreign aid it has hoped to
receive. The nine projects and programmes of activities that
the country has registered under the United Nations Clean
Development Mechanism, covering biogas digesters, improved
water mills, improved cook stoves, micro-hydropower systems
and solar home systems provide revenue to partially support
these national programmes, but account for only a fraction of
the contribution these programmes have made to reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases.right Solar panels power
the Ghandruk village in the
Kaski district in Nepalbelow Nepali traditional
houses with solar panels on
the roof in Muri village in the
Dhaulagiri regionDevelopment Potential
Despite impressive leaps forward, Nepal
has developed less than 2 percent of its
hydropower potential. Should this potential
be developed sustainably in the coming years,
it could revolutionise the nation’s economy}
nepal
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