Group photo of the participants at the National Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal. Credit: ADPC

Kathmandu, 14 May 2025 - The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), under the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia project, organized a high-level National Workshop to reflect on the project's impact, share achievements, and explore options for scaling up successful interventions.

The CARE for South Asia is a five-year project (2020-2025) funded by the World Bank. The project promotes the transformation of policies and institutional capacities for climate-resilient development for key sectors in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.

In Nepal, the project has supported building resilience to climate change by enhancing the availability of national data and knowledge, developing guidelines, tools, and capacities, as well as promoting climate-resilient decisions, policies, and investments across key sectors. The project has also promoted innovation and adoption of technology by awarding grants to eligible and qualifying innovators.

The National Workshop in Kathmandu brought together approximately 90 senior representatives from government ministries and departments, UN agencies, development partners, academia, research institutions, private sector organizations, and innovators to share achievements and scale-up plans in sectors such as Agriculture, Water, Road Transport, and Public Policy and Finance.

The workshop served as a vital platform for in-depth discussions on challenges, future prospects, and the long-term sustainability of achieved results. The insights shared during the event played a crucial role in shaping actionable recommendations to enhance the efficiency of initiatives aimed at strengthening climate resilience across Nepal.

Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC Executive Director, during his opening remarks at the National Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal. Credit: ADPC

Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC Executive Director, reaffirmed that ADPC will continue to build a strong partnership with Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and work collaboratively to strengthen Nepal’s resilience to climate-related challenges. He applauded the efforts of key ministries and departments that remained actively engaged throughout the project and contributed to the co-development of several technical documents. He underscored ADPC’s commitment to supporting Nepal in risk-informed development planning and promoting locally-led climate adaptation.

Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, during her opening remarks at the National Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal. Credit: ADPC

Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, appreciated the efforts put together by ADPC through the project. "The CARE for South Asia National Workshop is organized timely, on the eve of the upcoming Sagarmatha Sambaad - a high-level, multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral. This year’s theme, ‘Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity,’ highlights the urgent need for honest dialogue and coordinated global action. The climate crisis is unfolding on an unprecedented scale, demanding immediate and sustained international attention. Without bold, collective action, both our environment and the future of humanity remain at serious risk. Dr. Arzu Rana emphasized the importance of integrating climate change concerns into development policies and plans at the federal, provincial, and local levels in Nepal by building on the work the CARE project has produced for the key sectors.

Er. Dinesh Prasad Bhatt, NDRRMA Chief Executive, together with Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC Executive Director, at the National Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal. Credit: ADPC

While chairing the inaugural session, Er. Dinesh Prasad Bhatt, NDRRMA Chief Executive said: "At the heart of our efforts is building the capacity of key stakeholders - from training emergency responders to facilitating community-based disaster risk management planning. Our approach to disaster risk reduction is rooted in being proactive and preventive. Multi-hazard risk assessments and early warning systems are essential tools in strengthening resilience across all levels." He highlighted that Nepal has taken a leading role in this space by establishing the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), a coordinated mechanism that brings together multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder, and multi-level actors. "This progress would not be possible without the steadfast support of our development partners. As one of Nepal’s most trusted partners for disaster and climate resilience, ADPC has provided invaluable technical expertise, capacity-building programs, and regional platforms that have enabled us to learn from neighboring countries and adapt global best practices to our local context," he concluded.

Ms. Carina Fonseca Ferreira, Disaster Risk Management Specialist of the World Bank, during her opening remarks at the National Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal. Credit: ADPC

Ms. Carina Fonseca Ferreira, Disaster Risk Management Specialist of the World Bank, emphasized the urgent need for climate resilience in South Asia, where over 2 billion people face growing climate threats to their livelihoods. "The CARE for South Asia project is grounded in three core principles," she said. "First, resilience must be a collective effort, requiring strong collaboration across institutions and sectors. Second, empowering institutions and communities with risk-informed decision-making can drive meaningful change. Third, the cutting-edge technologies developed through CARE for South Asia project will be instrumental in helping communities adapt and thrive in the face of climate challenges."

Prof. Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, during his opening remarks at the National Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal. Credit: ADPC

Prof. Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, underlined that the Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (CPEIR) updated under the CARE project provides a critical overview of how climate-related budgets are allocated and spent, including key trends, gender-responsive budgeting, and sources of climate finance across Nepal’s federal structure. To effectively address the climate crisis, he said, the public financing system must go beyond commitments and deliver real resources in support of the Paris Agreement, our Nationally Determined Contributions, and the National Adaptation Plan. Climate budgeting must be integrated into the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), not treated as an afterthought. "This requires targeted investments in skills and institutional capacity, especially at the local level where climate action is most urgent. We must also embrace integrated planning that connects climate resilience with disaster risk reduction, poverty alleviation, and infrastructure development. Climate finance is not a cost - it is an investment in Nepal’s resilience, sustainability, and long-term prosperity," he said.

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