With an aim to minimize the impact of natural disasters and to strengthen climate resilient infrastructure at the local level, a two-day long training on climate resilient and sustainable urban infrastructure started today in Kathmandu. A total of 30 officials including municipal engineers and chiefs of the Departments of Environment from 15 municipalities of seven provinces participated in the training organized by Town Development Fund (TDF), under the European Union (EU) supported Municipal Finance and Capacity Building (MFCB) Program. Speaking at the inaugural event, stakeholders have called to introduce development interventions that mitigate and adapt climate change impacts at the local level.

Observing that the cities of Nepal today face multiple challenges in making climate resilient urban infrastructures, Er. Krishna Prasad Sapkota, Executive Director of the TDF said, "Urban investment must be climate resilient, for which a paradigm shift is needed in our thinking, planning and execution of programs from local to federal levels."

Strategies and action plans of urban infrastructures should focus on climate resilient, inclusive and green growth to counter unexpected disasters resulting from the climate change, Sapkota added. Mim Hamal, Senior Program Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Nepal, said that climate change and climate finance issues are of great importance. Hoping that the training would be very useful for local governments to plan and execute climate change adaptation practices, Hamal added, "We should be mindful of the climate impact while investing in infrastructure development."   Saroj Nepal, National Program Coordinator at the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) stressed that the infrastructure asset management should be carried out being mindful of the climate change impacts. To this end, UNCDF has been supporting the initiatives targeted to urban investment and capacity building of municipalities, he added. Kapil Dev Gyawali, Program Coordinator at MFCB, said that the four-year long program that began in January 2019, has been providing technical assistance to enhance the capacity of municipalities and the TDF to nurture local economic development through blending financing. Surya Bahadur Karki, Chief of the Human Resources at the TDF, said that the two-day long training would enhance the capacities of municipal officials to design action plans for mitigating climate change impacts. The technical sessions that range from weather and climate, climate resilient infrastructure to disaster risk reduction and urban health, and resource efficiency are being facilitated by Climate Change Experts Dr. Ashok Kumar Pokharel and Dr. Ngamindra Dahal.