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The report details the restoration of biological corridors in Nepal's Terai Arc Landscape from 2001 to 2021. It highlights the transition from fragmented habitats to functional corridors through community-based conservation, forest restoration, and transboundary cooperation with India. Key successes include the doubling of tiger numbers and the identification of high-altitude climate refugia. However, the report warns that linear infrastructure development, such as highways and irrigation canals, poses a significant emerging threat to connectivity.

The report examines the global crisis of human-wildlife conflict (HWC), detailing its impacts on ecosystems, local communities, and sustainable development. It argues that traditional short-term mitigation is insufficient and proposes a shift toward 'coexistence' through integrated management involving monitoring, policy reform, and stakeholder engagement. The document provides case studies from regions such as Namibia, India, and Nepal to demonstrate how holistic approaches—including community-led monitoring, land-use planning, and innovative financing like 'Wildlife Credits'—can reduce conflict and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The guide addresses the energy access gaps in South Asia, noting that the pandemic threatens to reverse development progress and increase extreme poverty. It emphasizes the need for improved electricity and clean cooking access across the region, with the exception of Bhutan and the Maldives, to ensure a sustainable recovery.

The USAID Paani Program developed a three-part system-scale planning approach for Nepal to optimize energy production while protecting freshwater resources. The project identified High Conservation Value Rivers (HCVR), conducted an Energy Options Assessment (EOA) using the SWITCH model to find least-cost power pathways, and utilized System Scale Planning (SSP) to visualize tradeoffs between economic and environmental goals. Findings indicate that significant river conservation can be achieved with minimal increases in system costs by diversifying the energy mix with wind, solar, and battery storage, and by strategically siting hydropower projects.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), in collaboration with the UNDP and GEF, is seeking Expressions of Interest from organizations managing innovative finance mechanisms in fragile and conflict-prone regions. The initiative aims to support private sector solutions that address the 'triple threat' of COVID-19, climate change-induced extreme weather, and geopolitical instability. Selected organizations will receive grants, technical assistance from a multidisciplinary mentoring facility, and networking opportunities to improve the scale and effectiveness of their funds. Eligible mechanisms must be based in specific Least Developed Countries (LDCs), demonstrate a sustainable revenue model, and focus on the intersection of climate adaptation, food and water security, and disaster risk reduction.

The report examines the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP), adopted in December 2018. It argues that UNDROP fills a gap in international human rights law by recognizing peasants and other rural workers as collective rights holders, rather than just a sum of individuals. The document details how the Declaration protects collective rights to land, food sovereignty, seeds, water, and a healthy environment, while debunking myths that collective rights oppose individual rights or are exclusive to Indigenous Peoples. It provides strategies for applying the Declaration at national, regional, and international levels to hold states and transnational corporations accountable.

The document analyzes the 2018 UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP) as a tool to shift human rights frameworks from purely individualistic perspectives to the recognition of collective rights. It details how UNDROP protects the rights of peasants, indigenous peoples, and nomadic communities to food sovereignty, land, seeds, and a healthy environment. The report highlights the role of collective rights in supporting agroecology and community forest management, while debunking myths that collective rights oppose individual rights or are exclusive to indigenous peoples. It provides examples of national and regional applications and advocates for a binding UN treaty on transnational corporations to ensure corporate accountability for human rights violations in rural areas.

The report argues that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP) is a landmark instrument that recognizes peasants and other rural workers as holders of collective rights. It details how the Declaration protects food sovereignty, land tenure, and environmental rights, debunking the misconception that human rights apply only to individuals. The document provides examples of national and international applications of these rights and advocates for their inclusion in a Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights.

The report details a System Scale Planning (SSP) framework applied to Nepal's hydropower sector, specifically the Karnali Basin. Using a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) and integration with the SWITCH energy model, the methodology identifies 'pareto-optimal' portfolios of projects that balance installed capacity and cost against environmental and social metrics. Key findings demonstrate that strategic project selection can significantly reduce biodiversity and livelihood impacts for a given level of energy output, and that restricting development on mainstem rivers (Scenario K03) can achieve a favorable balance of low environmental impact and low system cost.

The report presents the first national assessment of High Conservation Value Rivers (HCVRs) in Nepal, evaluating 50,531 km of rivers based on freshwater status (connectivity and water quality) and freshwater values (biodiversity, recreation, livelihoods, and socio-cultural importance). The assessment identifies that 62% of Nepal's river reaches are HCVR Type 1 (high value, high connectivity, and high water quality), with the Karnali River Basin containing the highest number of these rivers. The report warns that proposed hydropower development on all major rivers poses a significant threat to these ecosystems, particularly in the Karnali basin, which hosts critically endangered species like the Ganges River dolphin and Rara Asala snow trout. It recommends using the HCVR typology to prioritize rivers for protection, management, or restoration to meet national and international biodiversity commitments.

The document argues that women's inclusion in peace processes increases the likelihood of reaching and sustaining agreements, though global participation rates remain low. It identifies three prerequisites for substantive representation: a specific agenda, access to the process, and advocacy by powerful actors. The briefing details various modes of inclusion, noting that independent women-only delegations are more effective than observer status, and outlines systemic barriers including cultural norms, economic constraints, and higher participation criteria imposed by mediators.

The document defines transitional justice as a response to widespread human rights violations and argues that women's access and power in these processes are vital for sustained peace. It identifies core principles for gender justice, including gender equity and accountability for crimes against women and girls. Through case studies of Tunisia and Colombia, it demonstrates how women's participation can expand the definition of victimhood to include socio-economic harm and prohibit amnesty for sexual violence. The briefing also lists methods for active participation and identifies various barriers to women's engagement, such as cultural norms, physical distance from political centers, and the risk of re-victimization.

The report examines the 'adaptation gap,' noting that annual costs for adaptation in developing countries could reach USD 500 billion by 2050, while current flows remain insufficient and skewed toward mitigation. It analyzes how MDBs are transitioning from stand-alone climate projects to a 'Paris alignment' paradigm where all development finance is climate-resilient. Key barriers identified include a lack of technical expertise in developing countries, the high upfront costs of climate-proofing (10-20% of finance), and the difficulty of attracting private sector investment due to a lack of immediate revenue streams. The document recommends increased technical assistance for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and the use of innovative blended finance instruments to catalyze private capital.

The report examines Indigenous community broadcasting in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, North America, Central America, South America, and Oceania. It finds that while community radio is generally recognized, specific legal status for Indigenous-led stations is rare, with only four of fifteen countries that recognize community radio also recognizing Indigenous community radio. The study identifies 609 Indigenous community radio stations globally, with Canada and Australia accounting for 42% of the total. Key findings highlight the role of these stations in language revitalization, land defense, and the transfer of traditional knowledge, while also noting significant threats including government repression, criminalization of unlicensed broadcasters, and financial instability.

The report outlines the critical role of geospatial least-cost modelling in achieving universal energy access, while highlighting significant data gaps in demand-side considerations, grid infrastructure, and clean cooking patterns. It argues for a shift from static to dynamic data inputs and suggests that integrating electrification and clean cooking planning can double the viability of electric cookstoves. The document provides frameworks for key data inputs and proposes cost-effective methods for filling gaps, such as AI-driven remote sensing and cell phone-based surveys.

The document highlights how a gender-responsive approach and the introduction of 'women-friendly' tools accelerated the adoption of climate-smart agriculture in Nepal's Gandaki province. It identifies key barriers to implementation, such as government staff's lack of technical knowledge and male bias in technology design, and outlines strategies to overcome them, including 'travelling seminars' for political leaders and site-specific agricultural plans.

The briefing analyzes the intersection of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic instability, deteriorating governance, and nuclear-armed geopolitical tensions in South Asia. It argues that these converging risks create non-linear dynamics that could lead to a systemic collapse or 'regime shift,' posing significant spillover risks to the global international system.

The document examines the need for strategic alignment between Nepal's national policy frameworks—specifically those concerning sustainable development, climate change, and disaster risk reduction—following the country's 2015 constitutional change. It highlights the ongoing review of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the relaunch of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process as key opportunities to improve the coherence and efficiency of climate action.

The document examines the role of local and community-based adaptation (CBA) in addressing climate risks, emphasizing that while local actions are often the most cost-effective and socially acceptable, they are frequently hindered by top-down planning and insufficient financing. It proposes a shift toward locally led processes that integrate indigenous knowledge, devolved financing, and multi-stakeholder governance to achieve sustainable and equitable resilience.

The report assesses the alignment of Nepal's climate, disaster risk, and sustainable development policies within a new federal governance structure. It identifies six key entry points for alignment: institutional arrangements, existing policy synergies, capacity building, information-sharing mechanisms, implementation and financing strategies, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks. The document argues that strategic alignment will increase coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness in achieving climate-resilient development goals.