11 Mar 2015 | Kangchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative

Third Regional Meeting for Kangchenjunga Landscape Initiative

The 3rd Regional Strategic Consultative Meeting for Kangchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KLCDI) was organized by the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 23 to 24 February 2015.

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Participants included high-level government officials from Bhutan led by Dasho Tenzin Dhundup, Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in Bhutan; government and non-government representatives from India headed by Dr JR Bhatt, Advisor at the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in India; and government representatives from MoFSC and KLCDI team members from Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST), Tribhuvan University, headed by Sharad Chandra Paudel, Secretary, MoFSC.

During the meeting, KLCDI partners consolidated the activities of the preparatory phase and apprised delegates of the outputs and content of a draft framework for regional cooperation. The Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF) emphasizes the need for greater collaboration across borders while providing opportunities for socioeconomic development at the landscape level.

1. Book Kangchenjunga Landscape Nepal from Conservation and Development Perspectives was jointly launched by Mr Paudel; Dasho Tenzin Dhendup, Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Royal Government of Bhutan; and JR Bhatt, Advisor at the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India Photo credit: Aminesh Bose 2. Participants at the 3rd Regional Strategic Consultative Meeting for the Kangchenjunga Landscape, Kathmandu, Nepal Photo credit: ICIMOD

Representatives of Bhutan, India and Nepal reaffirmed the commitment of their respective governments to the initiative and ensured that their countries would work towards conserving the landscape for future generations. They also gave their commitment to collaborate on regional issues including human-wildlife conflicts and the illegal trade of threatened species.

Dr David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, emphasized the importance of generating ground-level impacts that support adaptation and increase resilience among the communities living in the Kangchenjunga Landscape.

During the workshop, the book Kangchenjunga Landscape Nepal from Conservation and Development Perspectives, published by MoFSC in collaboration with RECAST and ICIMOD, was jointly launched by Sharad Chandra Paudel, Dasho Tenzin Dhendup and Dr JR Bhatt.