The National Environment Policy, 2076 (2019-2020) establishes the overarching policy framework for environmental protection and management, with the principal objective of ensuring citizens’ right to a clean and healthy environment while supporting sustainable development. The Policy aims to prevent, control and minimise pollution of water, air and soil, as well as noise, electromagnetic, chemical and radioactive pollution; ensure proper management of household, industrial and other waste; mainstream environmental considerations into development activities; guarantee environmental justice; and promote the sustainable use of natural and human-made resources. It also seeks to strengthen environmental research, institutional capacity and governance and to restore and rehabilitate available natural resources. The Policy establishes measures covering pollution prevention and control, environmental impact assessment and auditing, environmental justice, public participation, sustainable development, research and capacity-building. It promotes cleaner and energy-efficient technologies, renewable and alternative energy, waste reduction and recycling, green procurement and environmentally friendly infrastructure. It also expressly addresses water resources, forests, biodiversity and wildlife, land use, agriculture, industry, health, energy and urban development, including protection of sensitive ecosystems and integrated management of forests and watersheds. Implementation responsibilities are distributed among federal, provincial and local governments, and the Policy provides for periodic monitoring and evaluation as well as the revision of existing legislation to give effect to its objectives.
Nepal · 2019-04-14