Friday 9th June 2023
Nepal holds high growth potential and will also fulfil its national climate change targets by 2030, said a recently-released global report.
The International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) report titled ‘Climate Investment Opportunities in South Asia’, released last week, said Nepal holds USD 46.1 billion worth investment potential and would also fulfil its national climate targets promised under the Paris Agreement by 2030.
According to the report, Nepal offers such opportunities in key sectors such as transport infrastructure, renewable energy and municipal solid waste for the 2008-13 period as part of its moves towards achieving climate change targets.
IFC’s assessment was based on Nepal’s commitment under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in October 2016.
In its NDC, Nepal promised generation and distribution of 12,000 MW hydroelectricity and 2,100 MW solar energy, better waste management and control of methane emission, while also equipping every rural household with smokeless cooking stoves by 2030.
Meeting all these requirements would mean almost USD 46.1 billion investment with 12,000 MW hydropower generation alone requiring USD 22.5 billion investment, says the report.
Besides, the Nepali Government’s policy to integrate technological solutions in the country’s agricultural sector would need another USD 4.8 billion.
While highlighting the role of private sector, IFC called on the Government of Nepal to facilitate private-public partnerships and also conduct awareness programs on climate smart-projects to understand the financial benefits of investing in green projects.
The report also recommended revision of foreign ownership limits, restrictions on non-equity investments and sector caps for attracting foreign investment.
Overall, the South Asian countries, which contribute to seven percent of global CO2 emissions, hold USD 3.4 trillion climate-smart investment opportunities to fulfil their national targets, highlights the report.
“The only way that the South Asian countries can take advantage of these climate investment opportunities is with a strong and engaged private sector,” says Philippe Le Houérou, CEO, IFC.
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