Multi-Actor Partnerships (MAP) Meeting
Prakriti Resources Centre (PRC) and WWF Nepal jointly organized the Multi-Actor Partnership (MAP) platform meeting on 9th February 2021 with an objective to orient MAP members about the 100% RE project and collect feedback to make it a vibrant multi-stakeholder platform. Representatives from government agencies, private sectors, civil society, youth organizations, academia, media, those agreeing to be a member of the MAP platform attended this meeting. Dr. Ram Prasad Dhital, renewable energy expert presented the current status of electricity and electricity regulation in Nepal titled “Policy and Regulatory Landscape for Renewable Energy Development in Nepal”. Similarly, Raju Pandit Chhetri, Executive Director, PRC in his presentation titled “Renewable Energy in Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of Nepal” stated the different targets set in enhanced NDC of Nepal about renewable energy. Mr. Chhetri emphasized that Nepal is formulating a long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategy by 2021 and aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For this, RE pathways play a crucial role in achieving this target. Shovana Maharjan shared about the MAP project and the importance of the MAP platform in order to develop a joint vision for RE powered future for Nepal.
Participants suggested that for transitioning to 100% RE, the focus should be also at the local level implementation and dissemination of RE technologies. Inclusion and adoption of RE policies by local and provincial level government will support to achieve this endeavor. At the ground level, technologies should be convincing and demand-driven. Research on country-specific and locality-specific technology are important. For which students from universities can be encouraged to study and close collaboration with research institutes and universities are required.
It was also suggested that the MAP platform should include consumer forums specially women groups who are more associated with cooking to get their perspectives. Vehicles and industry sectors can also be included whose energy demand can be fulfilled by renewable energy. A holistic system such as policy implementation, subsidy mechanism, monitoring mechanism, end user’s adoption, supply chain and value chain for renewable energy systems should be reviewed for promotion and development of RE in the country. Enabling the environment for RE promotion and scaling up of technologies can also support in transitioning to RE in Nepal. Role of media was also highlighted to disseminate RE information and knowledge from local to national level will be significant.
Mr. Gokarna Raj Pantha, Senior Divisional Engineer from the Ministry of Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation (MoWERI) expressed his willingness to support the project and its objectives to achieve the 100% RE in Nepal. He suggested that since energy is a multidisciplinary area other sectors associated with it should also be included while taking the RE discourse forward. MAP platform can be a milestone to support the implementation of the government’s plans and policies including the NDC targets. MAP should focus on the implementation barriers of national policies and provide recommendations. Policy barriers, technology and social barriers must be considered to make the transition to 100% RE possible, stated by Mr. Pantha.
The meeting concluded on a positive note with the members committed to support the platform and play their role in promoting 100% RE in the country. The MAP platform will continue to hold meetings, policy dialogues and capacity-building activities for the members.