(Lapas): an Analysis of Approaches to Planning for Climate Change in Nepal
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Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs): An analysis of approaches to planning for climate change in Nepal A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Natural Resources Management and Ecological Engineering at Lincoln University by Pratigya Silwal Lincoln University 2016 Abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Natural Resources Management and Ecological Engineering. Abstract Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs): An analysis of approaches to planning for climate change in Nepal by Pratigya Silwal Adaptation to climate change has become a major focus globally since 2001. In accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) decision in 2001, each least developed country prepared National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) so that these countries would be able to adapt to the adverse effect of climate change. Concerns were expressed about the local variability of effects and impacts of climate change and hence Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs) have been developed particularly to address these issues, with Nepal being the pioneer country to do so. In Nepal, it is generally accepted that LAPA reflects a bottom-up and participatory approach to planning, unlike the NAPA. However, the plans have been prepared and implemented by different organisations through different programme, making them contentious and inconsistent. The sustainable livelihoods framework has been utilised to address the knowledge deficit on the planning approaches specific to LAPA by exploring the approaches to LAPA planning undertaken by different programmes in Nepal. The programmes selected for study are three of the large-scale interventions on adaptation planning, namely, Nepal Climate Change Support Programme (NCCSP), Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Programme (MSFP) and Hariyo Ban Program (HBP). Two of these (MSFP and HBP) are broad forest-based programmes which include climate change adaptation as a subset of their activities, while the third (NCCSP) is a broad climate change adaptation programme which includes forest-based projects as a subset of their activities. I analyse the approach undertaken by these organisations in the LAPA process and finally examine the activities identified in the plan. i Data were collected using semi-structured interviews at three levels, that is, national, district and community, and included people from government agencies, non-government organisations and the community. A total of 37 interviews were undertaken and the relevant documents were reviewed and analysed to provide a comprehensive understanding on the process. Key findings reveal a rigorous approach to LAPA planning, with vulnerability assessment as the factor determining the adaptation strategies in all three cases reviewed. However, there was greater ownership and acknowledgement of the resulting plan when the implementing agency had the authority and ability to mobilise the necessary resources and to make decisions, that is, when there was top-down implementation of a bottom-up plan by local government. Inadequate knowledge and capacity on technical aspects and the lack of a clear coordination mechanism at all levels in terms of adaptation planning are major challenges for the survival of LAPA. The findings suggest an integrated approach as an option to address the issue around overlapping objectives of development and adaptation. This learning and understanding can be applied in further scaling up of the adaptation planning in Nepal as well as other developing countries. Keywords: climate change adaptation, LAPA, planning process, bottom-up, forest, community, government, non-government organisation ii Acknowledgements I am using this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout my study period and this thesis work. I would like to start with my family, especially my mother who has always been my source of inspiration and my sisters for their unceasing encouragement and love. I would like to express my gratitude to the Mingma Norbu Sherpa Memorial Scholarship committee for granting me this opportunity to pursue my master’s degree in Lincoln University. I am highly grateful to my supervisors Associate Professor Hamish Rennie and Dr Lin Roberts from Lincoln University and Professor Manfred Josef Lexer from BOKU (Austria), for their patience, support, guidance and encouragement throughout the process. One simply could not wish for better supervisors. I am grateful to Professor David Simmons for his friendly gesture and advice during my stay at university; Jane Edwards, Sue Bowie, Tracey Shields and Diane de Haan from the administration for helping me with every little issue I came with; Mira (didi) for every little advice and guidance in terms of my personal life as well as my studies and my special friends Ada, Ryan, Fransesc, Veronica, Nicole and Sandra for all the support during my entire study period. I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone from MSFP, NCCSP and HBP who helped me during my fieldwork. Special thanks to Dr Sunil Regmi, Dr Dharma Raj Uprety, Mrs Pragati Sharma, Mr Bal Bahadur Shahi, Mr Sohan Lal Shrestha and Dipak BK for their support and guidance during the field visit, and Kapil Dahal and Sudeep Acharya for their time and assistance at the research sites. Special acknowledgement goes to all the research participants for their valuable time and information. Lastly, my special thanks to Mahesh for his constant love and support from the time I decided to study until today. His moral support has been my motivation throughout my study period. iii Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................. viii Acronyms .................................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Problem statement ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Research objectives and questions ............................................................................................... 5 1.3 Structure of the thesis ................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2 Contextual issues .......................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Climate change: Global context ..................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 Forests and climate change .............................................................................................. 8 2.2.2 International response to climate change ........................................................................ 9 2.3 Climate change: Nepal context .................................................................................................... 11 2.3.1 Background of Nepal ...................................................................................................... 11 2.3.2 Impacts of climate change on forest dependent people ................................................ 12 2.3.3 Addressing the climate change issue in Nepal ............................................................... 13 2.4 Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 3 Theoretical perspectives .............................................................................................. 18 3.1 Background .................................................................................................................................. 18 3.2 Rational comprehensive approach .............................................................................................. 18 3.3 Participatory approach ...............................................................................................................