Natural resources management:

•Natural resources management is about managing the human activities within the environmental tolerable limits

Sustainable development:

•Sustainable development is a concept of development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the  preserving ability of future generations to meet their needs

•Sustainable development is built on four pillars:

ØConservation

ØRecycling

ØRenewable resources

ØPopulation control

It utilizes renewable resources at rates less than or equal to natural rates at they regenerate.  Waste flow is limited below the assimilative capacity of the environment. Ensure that as exhaustible resources are depleted their reduced stock is compensated by the increase in renewable resources and technological progress. All the given standard of living can be secured from reducing stock of resources through increased efficiency of resource use.

Government initiative for the conservation of natural resources in Nepal:

There are several bodies directly or indirectly involved in the resource management aspects

1.National planning commission: Plans and Coordinates the programmes

2.Water and Energy commission: Deals with the energy studies and information  compilation

3.Nepal Academy for Science and Technology (NAST): Works in the field of environmental research and monitoring

 Environmental Protection Council (EPC):

•It was established in October 1, 1992.

•It is an authorized High level apex body to think, execute, monitor and coordinate  activities of Ministries and agencies related to environment

•It helps in formulation of policies and programmes related to environment and resource management

Objectives of EPC:

a.To support sustainable development

b.To identify and mitigate the adverse impacts on environment

c.To manage natural and physical resources efficiently

d.To balance the coordination between environmental conservation and development efforts

e.Formulation and implementation of protection and conservation policies

f.Formulate acts and laws related to environmental issues

g.Develop institutions for effective implementation of environmental laws and policies

Nepal environmental policy and Action plan (NEPAP):

•It was prepared by National Planning Commission (NPC)

•It concerns the need of balance between economic development and environmental conservation and helps in maintaining the balance

Objectives of NEPAP:

a.Sustainable management of natural resources

b.Managing population growth, health and addressing poverty issues

c.Mitigating adverse environmental impacts from economic and infrastructure development (urbanization, industrialization)

d.Safe guarding of Natural Heritages

e.Legislation, Institutions, Education and Public Resources

Ministries:

•Ministry of Forests and Environment

•Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation

•Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

•Ministry of Land management Agriculture and Cooperative

Departments:

•Department of Forests and Soil Conservation

•Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. 

•Department of Environment

•Department of Agriculture

•Department of livestock services

•Department of Tourism

•Department of Land Reform and Management

Ministry of Forests and Environment

Ministry is primarily responsible for formulation and implementation of policies, plans, programs. It also prepares environment related Act, Rules, and Guidelines, conducting environmental surveys, studies and researches, disseminating information and carrying out public awareness programmes.

Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs):

The political changes took place in 1990 after that large number of NGOs came in existence in Nepal to deal with environmental changes

These NGOs are classified in to different categories:

1.Local NGOs: These NGO function at local level i.e. ECO Himal, Clean up Nepal

2.National NGOs: These NGO function at National area i.e. Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research, and Development (LI-BIRD), Care Nepal,

3.Regional NGOs: These NGO function at Regional level i.e. Asia and Pacific region NGOS (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development ICIMOD, South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics SANDEE)

•NGOs work in joint partnership with INGOs

•Government has liberalized the rules for local NGOs to deal with INGOs and carryout social activities  

International Non-governmental organizations:

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN):

•Founded in 1948

•Seeks to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve biodiversity of nature

•Ensures whether the use of natural resources are equitable and ecologically sustainable

•Union has helped many countries to prepare National conservation strategies including Nepal

•Provides training and supervisions on conservation

•It has created partnership with government and NGOs of Nepal to carry conservational activities and ecological processes

•The IUCN Asia Regional Office (ARO) based in Bangkok, Thailand

• IUCN’s is overseeing 11 country offices (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos PDR, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam) in South Asia

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization

•Originated from Switzerland in 1961

•Currently running in more than 100 countries across 6 continents

•Working in the field of the wilderness preservation, and the reduction of human impact on the environment

•The program started from conservation of wildlife to broader concept of building future where humans can live in harmony with nature

•It was in 1967, WWF initiated WWF Nepal with a rhino conservation program in Chitwan