To address this need, the Ministry of Forests and Environment (previously the Ministry of Population and Environment) recently prepared and approved a hydropower EIA Manual in line with the National Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline. The manual aims to serve as a useful and practical guide for all stakeholders involved in the hydropower industry. It will support practitioners, regulators and developers to understand the importance of existing gaps, such as:

1. Meaningful engagement of stakeholders
2. Definition of areas of influence and study
3. Identification of baseline studies
4. Knowledge on identifying and quantifying impacts
5. Need for precision on impact predictions
6. Suitable alternatives analysis

In this context, a one-day workshop supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Paani Program and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in collaboration with Australian Aid, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), will bring together different national stakeholders in Kathmandu. This workshop aims to enhance stakeholder understanding of the content of the Ministry of Forests and Environment’s (MOFE) hydropower EIA Manual and the support needed for its implementation, including future capacity building opportunities.