Environment

ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the construction of transmission lines under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact has been approved by the concerned ministry. The air pollution level of Kathmandu has become a rising concern with the city still remaining one of the most polluted cities in the world even during the lockdown where vehicular and industrial activities have been put on halt. National parks have experienced an increase in illegal activities within their compounds amid the lockdown.

Greenlight given to the EIA report of the Electricity Transmission

Project: The Ministry of Forest and Environment has given a green signal to the EIA report of the Electricity Transmission Project. This project, which aims to build transmission lines and substations, is funded by the MCC, the United States (US) with the Nepal government shouldering parts of the funding.117

Pollution level still just as bad

despite the lockdown: With vehicles and industries not operating during the lockdown, Kathmandu’s air seems less polluted than it did during normal times. Nonetheless, Kathmandu is still the third most polluted city in the world with its Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 146. In fact, during the last week of March 2021, the air quality reading had crossed 300 as wildfires continued to rage.118 Such high levels of air pollution can claim lives not just by negatively affecting human health, but also by causing natural calamities likes floods and landslides.119

Illegal activities on the rise

inside national parks: Ever since the lockdown and the subsequent return of migrants to their villages, there have been increased cases of trespassing according to the park officials. This has posed a threat to wildlife conservation in protected areas with two killings of park animals already taking place since the second wave of the pandemic.120

Nepal excluded from the climate

summit: In March of this year, the President of the United States, Joe Biden had invited several world leaders – including at least three from South Asia – to a virtual climate summit. Nepal, being highly exposed to the risk of the climate crisis and also taking some actions to address climate change nationally, was expected to be on the list of the invitees. In fact, according to the Global Climate Risk Index, “Nepal ranks fourth in terms of climate risk”. While some pointed to the diplomatic failure as the reason for the exclusion, Durga Bhattarai, a former foreign secretary suggested that Nepal could not rather lead “any climate change-related issues” on the global platform to date. On the other hand, it's South Asian counterparts that have been invited, Bangladesh and Bhutan for instance, have been proactive in addressing the issues of climate change and working towards mitigating the ensuing crisis.121

Budget Highlights :

• Production, import, sale, and use of plastics thinner than 40 microns have been banned effective from the beginning of FY 2021/22. Industries producing such plastics will be provided necessary capital if they are to rebuild new machines from the parts of existing machines.

• The Government announced the abolition of excise duty and reduction on custom duty on Electric Vehicles (EV). Likewise, the government announced tax benefits and free land leasing facilities for the top 10 EV manufacturers to set up factories in the country.

• An announcement has been made on pursuing the mining sector to reduce trade deficit would bring adverse implications environmentally, socially as well as economically.

• 13 districts in the Tarai-Madhesh region will be allocated a budget to execute programs targeting the reduction of carbon emissions.

• 150 million trees are going to be planted in the region of Chure-Tarai Madhesh.

OUTLOOK

Kathmandu’s bad air quality despite the lockdown is alarming and needs more attention considering the health implications and catastrophes of extremely polluted air. Similarly, increased incidents of animal killings inside wildlife conservations are posing as a threat to biodiversity and should be dealt with an utmost urgency. Nepal’s exclusion from the climate summit is a telling example of how the country has not yet been able to make a significant contribution to the climate change agenda on national, regional, or international grounds. Given the extreme climate vulnerability, Nepal faces, global summits on climate change could certainly be resourceful for the country in seeking international help as well as advice on addressing the challenges of the climate crisis. In the meanwhile, Nepal could emulate the climate actions and responses of Bangladesh and make an amplified effort to avert the imminent climate crisis.

Although the budget has delineated programs related to environmental conservation, without timely and stringent executions on the part of the government, the country would not be able to effectively tackle its increasing environmental and climate concerns.

49NEFPORT ISSUE 45 – JULY 2021 4 MARKET

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