Nepal became signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity in June 1992 (ratified November 1993). In accordance with this the Government of Nepal has recognised its commitment to the protection and wise use of the biologically diverse resources of Nepal, the protection of ecological processes and systems, and the equitable sharing of all ensuing benefits on a sustainable basis, for the benefit of Nepal’s present and future generations and for the global community as a whole. The CBD places obligations on signatory parties to put in place organisational structures and document their biological diversity and conservation plans. In 2002, Nepal fulfilled one of these obligations with the publication of its Nepal Biodiversity Strategy (NBS 2002), a major landmark in conservation planning in Nepal.

A Biodiversity Co-ordinator will be appointed to ensure that the NBCC achieves its goals, policy implementation and direction. The existing National Biodiversity Unit (NBU), established in 1997 under the Environment Division of the MFSC, acts as secretariat to the NBCC, serves as the forum for information exchange, and prepares status reports for the CBD Secretariat every five years. The Biodiversity Co-ordinator will head the NBU.

Government of Nepal has been aiming to set up a Nepal Trust Fund for Biodiversity since 1996 as an autonomous body (independent of the Government) to support conservation education, training, applied research, sustainable income-generating activities, anti-poaching control, women-focused programmes, indigenous knowledge and practices and policy development in accordance to national priorities identified in the NBS.

Five Thematic Sub-Committees (TSCs) will be established to address the five Biodiversity Themes identified in the CBD:

• Forest biodiversity - including protected area ecosystems and species (in-situ and ex-situ)
• Agricultural biodiversity
• Sustainable use of biological resources
• Genetic resources
• Biosecurity

It is envisaged that each of the 75 districts of Nepal will have a District Biodiversity Committee (DBC), chaired by the Distric Development Committee chairperson with representation from the Village Development Committees.

The Government of Nepal actively participates in several global forums on environmental issues and is signatory to the major international agreements, including: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Tropical Timber 83 & 94, and Wetlands. Nepal has been signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) since 1973, and legislation prohibits the removal or export of species listed under CITES without a licence.

The Constitution of Nepal (1990), declares that the “State shall give priority attention to the conservation of the environment ... and also make special arrangement for the conservation of rare animal species, the forests, and the vegetation of the country [Article 26(4)]". Despite several problems and constraints, Nepal has achieved some significant successes in the protection and management of its biodiversity, particularly with protected ecosystems and species, community forestry, agrobiodiversity and mountain biodiversity. The Nepal Biodiversity Strategy (NBS 2002) considers past problems, examines the current situation and sets out the direction for conservation in Nepal for the following 20 years. It is very important in moving conservation action forwards in Nepal in a more cohesive and strategic way, consolidating and building upon the past achievements.

The Department of Plant Resources (Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, MOFSC) is designated as the scientific authority and management authority for wild flora. The CBD National Focal Point for Nepal resides in the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MFSC), and overall responsibility for the implementation of the NBS (2002) lies within this Ministry.

CBD Primary National Focal Point
Dr Krishna Chandra Paudel
Chief, Environment Division, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel: 997 14 224 892; Fax: 997 14 223 868

The National Biodiversity Co-ordination Committee (NBCC) has been set up to facilitate co-ordination during the implementation of the NBS and oversee monitoring and evaluation. The NBCC is a multidisciplinary team comprising about 15 members from various agencies. It will develop policies for consideration by Government and guidance for the implementation of NBS. NBCC will also publish an Annual Biodiversity Report for Parliament and the Nepali People.