18 September 2014
Nepal Identifies Drivers of Forest Loss
story highlights

The Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation of the Government of Nepal has assessed the country's drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in order to develop policy options for REDD+.

The assessment includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of previous forest policies and measures, and reports on four key drivers of forest loss that vary across Nepal's biophysical, ecological and social landscapes.

unredd15 September 2014: The Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation of the Government of Nepal has assessed the country’s drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in order to develop policy options for REDD+. The assessment includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of previous forest policies and measures, and reports on four key drivers of forest loss that vary across Nepal’s biophysical, ecological and social landscapes.

Drivers include illegal logging, fuelwood consumption, encroachment and road construction. The assessment also highlights underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation ranging from population growth and migration, to increased demand for forest products and corruption. The report draws links between degradation and deforestation, noting that the illegal removal or destruction of a few trees (degradation) can lead to deforestation.

In assessing previous policies, the report concludes that the effectiveness of governance has generally been limited, although positive impacts are observed when community forestry and support for sustainable harvesting are considered.

Finally, the report identifies priorities for REDD+ investments such as increased focus on sustainable forest management (SFM), governance reform and strengthened law enforcement, and the integration of forests into agricultural, energy and road sector policies and measures.

The study was funded by the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation (UN-REDD) under its Targeted Support modality. [UN-REDD Press Release] [Publication: Understanding Drivers and Causes of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Nepal: potential policies and measures for REDD+]