Drafting a national quality-of-governance standard relevant for sustainable management and use of forest biomass in Nepal

Research Project Between the Institute for Global Environmental Strategy and ACSBD

Purpose 

This project aims to:

1. Provide a practical solution to overcoming inconsistencies in the governance of climate change mitigation through sustainable management and use of forest biomass by creating a common method for evaluating institutional performance, including on monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV); and
2. Create and test a quality-of-governance standard relevant to projects at the national level.

The specific goals of the research are to:

1. Investigate the strengths, weaknesses and gaps in governance systems of climate change mitigation through sustainable management and use of forest biomass by collaborating with existing institutions and stakeholders involved at all levels.
2. Actively engage existing institutions and stakeholders in formulating of specific governance standards, following international best practice and participatory decision-making by means of a pilot study in a relevant developing country (Nepal);
3. Analyse the process and outcomes of the research, and determine the feasibility of applying such standards across the policy arena of climate change mitigation through sustainable management and use of forest biomass, at the national, regional and global levels. 

Activities and expected outputs 

Stage 1 (Months 1-3)
Engagement of participants: The investigative research outlined above will provide the necessary background for the next stage of participant engagement.

This will require:

1. Concerted outreach programmes to:
• Recruit the key stakeholders currently involved in climate change mitigation and sustainable management and use of forests biomass, and identified in the research of Stage One, from the environmental, social and economic sectors, and including state and non-state interests. This will include such bodies as: the Ministry of Forests and other relevant government agencies; national/international NGOs including ANSAB, ICIMOD, etc.; community forestry sector (FECOFUN, etc.); local communities, including Indigenous peoples and Dalit; forest practitioners including both men and women; and other relevant stakeholders at the international level
• Interested parties will be contacted by email, letter, telephone, Skype and – where critical to the success of the project – through face-to-face meetings.

Deliverable: Comprehensive database of stakeholders of climate change mitigation and sustainable management and use of forests biomass;

1. Collaboration with project participants, including forest stakeholders from Nepal, to identify their attitudes, perspectives and recommendations regarding the structures and processes of governance relevant to climate change mitigation and sustainable management and use of forests biomass, using the following survey method:
   • A preliminary quantitative and qualitative (anonymous) online questionnaire will be conducted by using Survey Monkey, or similar Internet-based tool to identify cross-sectoral viewpoints in Nepal and internationally (environmental, social, economic, governmental, institutional, ‘other’) region (global north and global south). The survey will target at least 500 individuals, with the anticipation of a response rate of at least 10%. The questionnaire will ask participants to rate institutional performance including on monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), using indicators (Cadman 2010); opportunities for substantive comment will also be provided.

Deliverable: Comprehensive report breaking down participants’ attitudes and comments by sector and region.

Stage 2: Months 4-5
Key informant interviews, recruited from participants in the questionnaire, who are willing to elaborate on issues identified, using qualitative survey techniques and analysis. The interviewees will reflect the same representative spread as the questionnaire – i.e. 36 informants. Interviewees will be randomly selected from a broader pool of willing participants. Interviews will be conducted either via Skype (recorded sessions), or where possible and cost-effective, face-to-face interviews. Interviews will be transcribed and returned to informants for clarification/expansion. Participants may be either publicly acknowledged or anonymous, depending on the needs of the interviewee. If anonymous, informants will be identified by sector, region, level of activity (international, national, local), and size of operation (small, medium, large).

Deliverable: Corrected and appropriately formatted interview transcriptions.

Stage 3: Months 6-7
National stakeholder forum to develop draft content for sustainable management and use of forests biomass in Nepal, which is applicable elsewhere. Once these participating organisations and individuals have been identified and interviewed, the preliminary discussions will contribute to the negotiation of an actual draft standard, facilitated by the researchers and developed by the key interests themselves.

Deliverable: Draft national quality of governance standard, suitable for sustainable management and use of forests biomass in Nepal and beyond.

Research Products

1. Comprehensive database of stakeholders of climate change mitigation and sustainable management and use of forests biomass
2. Comprehensive report breaking down participants’ attitudes and comments by sector and region.
3. Corrected and appropriately formatted interview transcriptions
4. Draft national quality of governance standard, suitable for climate change mitigation and sustainable management and use of forests biomass in Nepal and beyond

Contacts

Tim Cadman: timcadman@usq.edu.au
Tek Maraseni: marasenia@usq.edu.au