Building Climate Resilience of Forest Dependent Communities through Enhanced Livelihood Opportunities and Local Capacity in Karnali Province, Nepal

Nepal’s poorest region, Karnali Province, faces rising climate vulnerability from variable rainfall, higher temperatures, and more frequent floods, landslides, droughts, and forest loss. These climate impacts leave women, Dalits, Indigenous Peoples, and people with disabilities especially exposed.

The project will strengthen climate resilience through a locally led adaptation approach by restoring and sustainably managing forest and landscapes while enabling inclusive, forest-based livelihoods; strengthening local capacity to adapt to, prepare for, and respond to climate risks; and institutionalising climate communication, awareness, and advocacy at provincial and local levels.

The project is expected to benefit around 109,700 people directly and more than 423,000 indirectly through reduced climate vulnerability, improved ecosystem services, stronger preparedness, and more resilient livelihoods. Improved forest management and restoration are projected to remove approximately 1.1 million tCO2eq over a twenty-year lifespan.

Implemented by NTNC, which has an established mandate to complement and support government initiatives in nature conservation, climate action, and sustainable development in Nepal, the project applies locally led climate action through participatory Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs), embedding climate action within Nepal's federal governance system.

As the first GCF project from NTNC, a Direct Access Entity in a Least Developed Country, the project advances GCF's mission to support locally led adaptation and country ownership as well as its strategic emphasis on food systems, direct access, early warning systems, and resilient ecosystems.