Climate change will impact everyone, but the least developed countries are predicted to suffer the most. This is why projects and initiatives promoting sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure are being looked into for third-world countries like Nepal.
One of the most susceptible to global climate change, Nepal has to blame its extreme weather patterns, fragile geological conditions, and diverse topography from mountains to plains. Add to that the climate-sensitive, subsistence-based livelihoods of its people. With around 200 notable occurrences between 2000 and 2019, Nepal is also ranked 10th among nations most impacted by historical climate hazards, according to the long-term Climate Risk Index.
Nepal is experiencing issues from both extreme and slow-onset climate-related risks. Rising temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns are becoming increasingly evident. At the same time, the plains are warming at a slower rate compared to the mountains. This disparity leads to the melting of permafrost and ice, increasing the risk of landslides. It also raises the threat of floods from glacial lake outbursts. During the monsoon season, from June to September, intense and heavy rainfall in the foothills adds to these dangers. This further exacerbates the risk of both landslides and floods.
Aside from climate disasters, Nepal’s location is considered a highly seismic zone. The country is in between the Indian and Eurasian plates. These plates are colliding and pressing against one another at a rate of approximately 5 centimeters per year.
With these problems Nepal is facing, building sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure can help lessen the consequences of disasters on its people’s well-being, education as well as livelihoods.
Early in August, the World Bank and the Nepali government signed a financing agreement for a US$100 million concessional loan from the International Development Association (IDA). The agreement aims to enhance the connectivity and efficiency of local and provincial networks. It will also improve the resilience and safety of these networks. Additionally, the effort will strengthen the government’s ability to manage them.
Nepal’s Finance Secretary Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire and the World Bank country director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, David Sislen signed the agreement.
In Nepal, around 47% of the people living in rural areas reside beyond two kilometers of the closest properly maintained road as reported by the New Rural Access Index. This situation arises because only about a quarter of these roads offer all-weather connectivity. Furthermore, the majority of the roads are unpaved, with fewer than 30% having either a blacktop or gravel surface.
About a million people in the provinces of Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Madhesh will benefit from the Provincial and Local Roads Improvement Program (PLRIP). Phase 1 of the program will involve the construction and upkeep of approximately 3,000 kilometers of roads and bridges. These roads will be resilient, safe, and accessible in all weather conditions.
This project aims to improve service delivery by strengthening the institutional capabilities of provincial and municipal governments. It will enhance their managerial skills in road and bridge infrastructure. The focus includes planning, designing, building, and maintaining these structures. By doing so, the project will boost overall technical capabilities in the sector.
PLRIP will support rural development and enhance the capacity of local and provincial governments to address challenging issues in the sector. The program will focus on three of Nepal’s seven provinces. It will also target four local areas. These areas will be expanded upon in subsequent phases of the program.
Sislen said, “The program supports Nepal’s federalism agenda by empowering provincial and local governments and promoting inter-governmental coordination in the transport connectivity sector to help improve the lives of Nepalis through better infrastructure and services.”
The initiative will implement best practices, including construction contracts with a five-year performance-based maintenance period. Other practices like routine maintenance will be handled by self-help groups, and complementary infrastructure will be led by the community. Additional measures include alternative connectivity and rural transport service pilots, approach roads, and an online program monitoring and management system.