Second National Conservation Forum concluded in Nepal

The forum was inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment (MoAFE), Government of Nepal, Ms Geeta Chaudhary, who emphasised the importance of international cooperation and cross-border coordination for biodiversity conservation. "Wildlife movement, river flows, ecological systems and ecosystem services do not recognize administrative boundaries. Therefore, the benefits of conservation are not confined within the boundaries, and we must therefore promote landscape level conservation and pursue nature-based solutions that transcend administrative borders." She also highlighted the government's commitment to integrating conservation efforts with sustainable development.

Honourable Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, Geeta Chaudhary delivering inagural speech

In a recorded message, Dr Dindo Campilan, Regional Hub Director for Asia and Oceania, IUCN, highlighted the importance of the Forum in bringing stakeholders together and responding to growing pressures on nature. “Nepal’s biodiversity and natural resources have outstanding value, locally, nationally and universally. Yet these are under increasing pressure from climate change, habitat loss, unsustainable use of natural resources, and other human-driven pressures,” he said.

Dr Yoji Natori, Acting Chair of IUCN Asia Regional Members Committee (ARMC), highlighted the role of the ARMC and noted that the outcomes of the forum could be further shared at the next ARMC meeting. "A well discussed plan and the execution of the well-planned activities at the national level will make the dialogue at the regional level more meaningful," he said.

Dr Yoji Natori Acting Chair of IUCN ARMC delivering the speech

The Secretary of MoAFE, Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra, IUCN Regional Councillor for South and East Asia Ms Roshani Adhikari Pathak and IUCN Nepal Country Representative Dr Narendra Man Babu Pradhan also wished the success of the event through their inaugural speeches. The session was chaired by the chairperson of IUCN Nepal National Committee Mr Kiran Timalsina.

Two keynote presentations on 'Human-Wildlife Coexistence' and 'Climate Finance' were presented during the inaugural session by Dr Ghana Shyam Gurung, WWF Nepal and Dr Manish Raj Pandey, NTNC respectively.

Following the inaugural session, more than a dozen plenary and parallel thematic sessions were held to discuss and address Nepal’s most critical conservation and socio-ecological frontiers over the two days.

High-level policy and field evidence sessions focused on rising human-wildlife conflict, including wild Asian elephants, human-tiger interactions in shared landscapes, Himalayan black bear hotspots, and snow leopard conservation and landscape management. Experts also highlighted the urgent need to bridge the biodiversity finance gap, strengthen forest carbon trading mechanisms, and ensure direct and accessible climate and disaster financing for vulnerable mountain and local communities.

The forum further explored emerging threats to freshwater ecosystems and river corridors alongside the conservation of neglected and endangered species such as the Chinese pangolin and mid-hill stream frogs. The experts also discussed the interconnected issues on climate, disaster and financing, illegal wildlife and pet trade, the future of Community Forestry over the next decade, bio-utilization approaches for managing invasive alien species, and opportunities to promote green corporate investment. The collective discussions and recommendations from these sessions were consolidated into the Forum outcome, outlining shared priorities and commitments for advancing biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable natural resource management in Nepal.

The NCF culminated in the Members Forum, where IUCN institutional and commission members and conservation partners formally reviewed the outcomes of the forum, which will be presented at relevant national, regional and global forums.