Nepal
नेपाल
Overall NDC Equity Score
Exemplary
Emissions Reductions
Exemplary
The NDC makes a strong effort to create ambitious emissions reduction goals.
Gender Justice
Aspiring
The NDC makes a strong effort to achieve gender mainstreaming, but lacks gender focused research and data on their impact from climate related vulnerabilities.
Youth Inclusion
Exemplary
The NDC champions youth inclusion and recognizes them as agents of change.
Summary
Nepal is referred to as a Least Developed Country (LDC) and has around a 0.027% contribution to global GHG emissions.
Nepal, being a highly vulnerable country to climate change, actively participates in climate talks through its focus on climate justice, mountain ecosystems, and loss and damage concerning mountain countries, for instance, in the “Sagarmatha Call for Action (2025),” where Nepal called for international climate action in order to preserve mountain ecosystems and address climate change. Though it accounts for a small share of emissions, Nepal faces the risk of experiencing climate-induced disasters like floods, landslides, glacier melt, drought, forest fires, and heat waves.
One of the outstanding facts about our country related to the climate crisis is: A report published by ICIMOD shows that Nepal lost approx. 25% of its glacier area between 1980 and 2010 and this trend is increasing due to the rising temperature.
The previous NDC has proven to be impactful to some extent since it guides the nation’s climate action agenda through the National Climate Change Policy (2019) and National Adaptation Plan (2021-2050). We have managed to achieve 46.08% forest cover, increase in renewable energy production upto 3,450 MW, and increase national targets regarding electric vehicles adoption as well. Also Nepal introduced its First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) in 2025 that further improves climate accountability by providing detailed information on emissions, adaptation progress, and climate actions in different sectors.
The other notable climate policies that guide the NDC goals and targets include the National REDD+ Strategy (2025–2034), Long-Term Strategy (2021), Net Zero Emissions 16th Periodic Plan (2024–2029), etc.
On gender mainstreaming. Nepal’s NDC mainstreams gender equality and social inclusion through the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle during the planning and identifies Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) as a cross-cutting sector as well. Our 3rd NDC commits to implementing climate-resilient and GEDSI-responsive adaptation plans, strengthening participation of persons with disabilities, and integrating Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and the Lima Work Programme on Gender into policies by 2030. Other supporting policies include the National Climate Change Policy (2019), National Policy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2018), the GEDSI Strategic Action Plan for DRRM (2024), and gender-responsive budgeting implemented since FY 2007/08.
On youth inclusion. Youths have been consulted during the preparation process, as suggested in the NDC. The NDC first categorizes youths as the most marginalized and vulnerable to climate change, then provide the stance on their contribution through consultation in the preparation of the report. Along with that Nepal Climate Change policy also do mention that “youths will be mobilised.” in the efforts towards climate justice in Nepal.
Highlights
- Nepal’s NDC has expanded the scope and ambition of its quantified mitigation targets, aiming to reduce net GHG emissions and removals by 8,866.53 GgCO₂eq (17.12%) by 2030 and 16,627.80 GgCO₂eq (26.79%) by 2035.
- It has prioritized forest conservation by aiming to maintain at least 46% of the total area of the country under forest cover (including other wooded land limited to less than 2.7%) and advance sustainable forest management, aligning with Nepal’s current forest cover, which is 46.08%.
- It has also incorporated strategies to address loss and damage caused by climate-induced disasters this time, strengthening its preparedness to access the forthcoming Fund for Loss and Damage.
- It has included provisions to operationalize a national-level Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) by 2030 to track the NDC implementation progress.
Lowlights
- The NDC primarily recognizes women as vulnerable groups rather than as active agents of change and key stakeholders in climate action and decision-making.
- Decrease in GHG emissions and removals from the implementation of policies and measures has not been estimated, and sectoral GHG emissions remain insufficiently covered in the NDC.
- Renewable energy targets, particularly large-scale electricity generation expansion, appear overly ambitious given Nepal’s current hydropower capacity and dependence on uncertain external financing.
- The NDC does not adequately address methane emission reduction from wet paddy cultivation, despite it being a major source of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Nepal.
- Commitments related to Electric Rail, Metro, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems may be economically unrealistic for a low-middle-income country like Nepal and could divert resources from more urgent development priorities.
Key Recommendations
Nepal aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 17.1% by 2030 and 26.8% by 2035 compared to business-as-usual levels, while also forwarding its long-term goal of shifting from an aspirational net-zero emissions by 2050 in NDC 2.0 to a firm commitment of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 in NDC 3.0. However, most mitigation actions remain conditional on international climate finance and technology support.
On gender, the NDC prioritizes GEDSI through climate-resilient adaptation plans, budgeted GEDSI action plans, and implementing and improving institutional monitoring mechanisms across all government levels by 2030.
The NDC also recognizes the role of youth by supporting education, research, training, volunteering, internships, and employment opportunities in climate action, alongside establishing climate platforms and youth climate champions at sub-national levels.
For Gender Justice
- Recognize women and marginalized groups as the primary stakeholders, beneficiaries, and agents of change, highlighting their contributions along with categorizing them as the vulnerable groups.
- Develop specific strategies and action plans on GEDSI and climate change aligned with the third NDC targets.
- Design gender-responsive agricultural programs that enhance women’s access to and control over land and market access, also promoting their participation in decision-making and improving their access to income from agricultural activities.
- Develop gender-responsive climate financing mechanisms to recognize the rights and differential needs of women and men, poor and marginalized groups.
- Support the development of GEDSI-integrated monitoring and evaluation systems to capture gender-responsive outcomes that are systematically collected, analyzed, and disaggregated by gender, social, and economic status.
- Establish mechanisms to address implementation gaps in sectoral gender policies, including ensuring adequate financial and technical resources, building institutional capacity, and promoting behavioral change.
For Youth Inclusion
- Collaborate with youth groups or youth individuals and generate new innovations, ideas, and plans of action regarding climate justice.
- Consultations with youths are not enough; teach them, equip them, and utilize them.
- Make the study curriculum strong enough for students to be able to understand, grasp, and comprehend climate change and its impact so they will be able to provide their input.
- Encourage youths to attend international forums and conferences representing Nepal and its concern.
- Provide detailed data of promises made in sustainability development goals or any other national policy/international commitment on how many youths got engaged or equipped through government initiatives.
- Provide a platform for youths nationally where youths are the primary speakers and not just the passive observers.
NDC Ambassador and Author
