Turning conflicts into cooperation? The role of adaptive learning and deliberation in managing natural resources conflicts in Nepal

Conflicts over natural resources are likely to escalate under changing socio-economic contexts and climate change. This paper tests the effectiveness of what we term Adaptive Learning and Deliberation (ALD) in understanding and addressing conflicts over the local management of forests and water, drawing on the experimental works in Nepal. Based on a three-year action research, the paper offers policy and practical insights on how complex and protracted conflicts can be addressed through researcher-facilitated inquiry and deliberative process which forms the core of ALD approach. The conflicts included in the study are not solely triggered by climate change but are a result of diverse environmental changes, diverse policy responses to local issues of resource governance, and wider political and economic factors. We analyze experimental practices of ALD implemented in two sites, where our research team facilitated the ALD process, gathering evidence in relation to conflicting institutional issues, all of which was then fed into researcher-mediated and evidence informed deliberations on conflict management. The analysis shows that the ALD process was helpful in rearranging local institutions to accommodate the interests of the conflicting groups and, to some extent, challenge some of the underlying exclusionary provisions of forest and water institutions which have deep social roots in the Nepalese society. We also identify three key limitations of this approach – transaction costs, the need for strong research and facilitative capacity within the research team, and the acceptance of researchers' involvement among the conflicting stakeholders. Finally, we discuss some policy implications of the findings, including potential implications for building climate resilience

An uneven playing field: regulatory barriers to communities making a living from the timber from their forests–examples from Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam

Community forestry (CF) is widely viewed as the solution to many of the challenges facing forest management and governance in the Asia-Pacific region. However, it is often felt that CF is not delivering on its potential. This paper focuses on one possible limitation: the role of regulations in curbing communities’ ability to make a living from their timber resources. The work covers Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam, using policy analyses, national level experts’ workshops, and focus group discussions in two CF sites in each country. The results highlight the fact that there are numerous, often prohibitive, regulations in place. One challenge is the regulations’ complexity, often requiring a level of capacity far beyond the ability of community members and local government staff. The paper puts forward various recommendations including simplifying regulations and making them more outcome-based, and facilitating key stakeholders, including government and community based organizations, working together on the design and piloting of forest monitoring based on mutually agreed forest management outcomes. The recommendations reflect the belief that for CF to succeed, communities must be allowed to make a meaningful living from their forests, a result of which would be increased investment in sustainable forest management

REDD+, transformational change and the promise of performance-based payments: a qualitative comparative analysis

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) has emerged as a promising climate change mitigation mechanism in developing countries. This paper examines the national political context in 13 REDD+ countries in order to identify the enabling conditions for achieving progress with the implementation of countries REDD+ policies and measures. The analysis builds on a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) of various countries' progress with REDD+, conducted in 12 REDD+ countries in 2012, which highlighted the importance of factors such as already initiated policy change, and the presence of coalitions calling for broader policy change A follow-up survey in 2014 was considered timely because the REDD+ policy arena, at international and at country levels, is highly dynamic and undergoes constant evolution, which affects progress with REDD+ policy making and implementation. Furthermore, we will now examine whether the 'promise' of performance-based funds has played a role in enabling the establishment of REDD+. The results show a set of enabling conditions and characteristics of the policy process under which REDD+ policies can be established. The study finds that the existence of broader policy change, and availability of performance-based funding in combination with strong national ownership of the REDD+ policy process may help guide other countries seeking to formulate REDD+ policies that are likely to deliver efficient, effective, and equitable outcomes

Conservation and livelihoods : exploration of local responses to conservation interventions in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

State Versus Community: A Confusing Policy Discourse in Nepal’s Forest Management

Abstract The issue of forest governance in Nepal is highly dominated by the state versus community discourse, dividing intellectuals, professionals and practitioners into two ideological camps. We argue that this debate is theoretically weak and practically less useful, as it fails to take into account the semi-feudal and hierarchical Nepalese communication structure. This divide has largely undermined the internal differentiations both within the state and community organizations, assuming them to be homogenous and monolithic. It is shown how this dichotomy and the resultant policy processes have strengthened the alliances between local elite, bureaucrats and politicians, further marginalizing the poor and disadvantaged forest users. It suggests that the focus of the discourse should be on the complex interactions among the social actors crosscutting state-community divide

Another possible cost of COVID-19 : returning workers may lead to deforestation in Nepal

For more about the East-West Center, see http://www.eastwestcenter.org/In rural Nepal, many young people have migrated to urban areas or overseas in search of employment. Farm sizes remained the same, but with remittance income coming in from migrants plus a sharp reduction in available labor at home, many farmers left some of their land uncultivated. The resulting increase in tree cover has provided an important environmental benefit. Today, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many Nepali migrants to return home. With more available labor and less remittance income, will farmers in Nepal now remove trees on their land to expand cultivation

Grassroots capacity development for REDD+: approaches and key lessons from Nepal [Policy brief]

Key Messages: • Using the cascade approach for capacity development on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) has been proved to be a successful way to reach out to a large number of grassroots stakeholders in a cost effective manner. • Establishing collaborative arrangements with local partner organizations, including government agencies can mobilize grassroots and relevant stakeholders in understanding and planning for effective climate change mitigation strategies. • Integrating of local and indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge helps to internalize and collectively respond to the challenges of climate change. • Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation are multiple and go beyond subsistence use of forest resources, and therefore REDD+ capacity development efforts should also go much beyond forestry sector stakeholders