Attachments
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Landlocked Nepal is mountainous with major rivers flowing southward from the Himalaya into India. The country is the scene of the ongoing collision of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates and, therefore, is home to many faults that make the country seismically active. Earthquakes frequently cause major human and material losses and displacement. Meanwhile, the prevailing monsoon brings heavy rains from June through September, and these rains cause floods and landslides that deliver losses almost every year. The country continuously deals with impacts of hydrometeorological and seismic events alongside climate change-driven warming and drought. As these conditions destabilize high mountain slopes and river valleys, landslides will become more common during seismic events or intense rainfall.
Although the country has long experience with earthquakes, the April 2015 “Gorkha” quake triggered social and political changes, coming as it did, amidst the final stages of the process to build a new democratic political structure.
After a decade of civil war that ended in 2006, the warring sides had agreed upon a framework for a Constituent Assembly, and one of the major results was abolition of the monarchy. However, other contentious issues meant that the process of drafting a new constitution dragged on until a sense of urgency was built in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake when the various political parties reached an agreement to focus efforts toward reconstruction. The new constitution came into effect in latter 2015. Institutions have been built and maintained that have earned the confidence of international investors and bilateral partners that have allowed Nepal to ensure best practices inform its evolving disaster management system.
The National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by the Prime Minister, and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Committee, chaired by the Home Minister, are the top policy bodies for disaster management. Under them, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) coordinates the whole-of-government approach. The Chief Executive of the NDRRMA is a member-secretary of the Council and Executive Committee and chairs the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), which coordinates, facilitates, and implements disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities nationally. Support to the NPDRR also comes from the Disaster Preparedness Network Nepal (DPNetNepal), a structure that brings together national and international agencies and organizations alongside disaster-affected communities. It seeks to strengthen coordination, collaboration, learning, and information sharing among stakeholders. Each of the country’s seven provinces is also legally required to develop and operate its own Disaster Management Council, which develops policies and plans for DRR and emergency response in the province. Provincial Councils are responsible for disaster response within their jurisdictions. Below the provincial level, District Disaster Management Committees bring together local government, health and security authorities, Red Cross leaders, and local non-governmental organizations (NGO) to support local disaster management activities.
Nepal has struggled with the impacts of natural disasters and various other external shocks, including trade shocks given the country’s reliance on imports. The 2015 earthquake and a simultaneous trade dispute with India walloped the country’s economy, and during the height of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the country saw negative growth. As one of the countries in the world most at risk of climate change-influenced hazards – e.g., flooding and drought – Nepal’s vulnerabilities stem not only from topography and hydrology, but also from unplanned settlements and a lack of resilient infrastructure. The population is susceptible to extreme heat stress and air pollution on top of the direct threats of flooding and earthquakes.