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Financing municipal solid waste (MSW) services is one of the key challenges faced by cities in developing countries. This study used plastic waste, a constituent of MSW, to explore the possibility of generating revenue for financing MSW management in the municipalities of Nepal. The results of this study suggest that plastic material recovery could generate revenue, which is equivalent to 1.38 times of the plastic-waste-related management cost when collection efficiency reaches 66.7%. An increase in 1% of recovery rate and collection efficiency could cover an additional 4.64% and 2.06% of the costs of managing plastic waste, respectively. In addition, an increase in tax on imported plastic materials could also motivate recovery of plastic waste for recycle and reuse. An additional 1% tax on plastic imports would be sufficient to cover plastic-related waste management when plastic waste recovery and collection efficiency rates are low. This plastic recovery- revenue exercise could be expanded to other materials such as paper and metal to fully understand the possibility of sustainable financing of MSW management and reducing environmental harm in developing countries like Nepal.
Bishal Bharadwaj; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal. Sustainable financing for municipal solid waste management in Nepal. PLoS ONE 2020, 15, e0231933 .
AMA StyleBishal Bharadwaj, Rajesh Kumar Rai, Mani Nepal. Sustainable financing for municipal solid waste management in Nepal. PLoS ONE. 2020; 15 (8):e0231933.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBishal Bharadwaj; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal. 2020. "Sustainable financing for municipal solid waste management in Nepal." PLoS ONE 15, no. 8: e0231933.
REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) encompasses a range of incentives for developing countries to slow, halt and reverse forest loss and associated forest carbon emissions. Where there is high dependence on biomass energy, cleaner cooking transitions are key to REDD+'s success. Given the poor track record of efforts to promote clean cooking, more evidence is needed on the potential for REDD+ to reduce unsustainable extraction of biomass energy. We present a quasi-experimental impact evaluation of REDD+ in Nepal. Unsurprisingly, we find little evidence of impacts on forest carbon in just two years. We do find that REDD+ reduced forest disturbance as measured by four plot-level indicators (signs of forest fire, soil erosion, encroachment and wildlife) that are predictive of future changes in net carbon emissions and reflective of reduced extraction pressure by households. While our analysis of household survey data does not show that REDD+ reduced harvest of forest products, we find some evidence that it reduced household dependence on firewood for cooking, possibly by increasing use of biogas. Thus, communities in Nepal appear to have improved conditions in their forests without undermining local benefits of those forests. To secure progress towards reduced emissions and improved livelihoods, interventions must be designed to effectively meet household energy needs.
Bishnu Prasad Sharma; Bhaskar S Karky; Mani Nepal; Subhrendu K Pattanayak; Erin O Sills; Priya Shyamsundar. Making incremental progress: impacts of a REDD+ pilot initiative in Nepal. Environmental Research Letters 2020, 15, 105004 .
AMA StyleBishnu Prasad Sharma, Bhaskar S Karky, Mani Nepal, Subhrendu K Pattanayak, Erin O Sills, Priya Shyamsundar. Making incremental progress: impacts of a REDD+ pilot initiative in Nepal. Environmental Research Letters. 2020; 15 (10):105004.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBishnu Prasad Sharma; Bhaskar S Karky; Mani Nepal; Subhrendu K Pattanayak; Erin O Sills; Priya Shyamsundar. 2020. "Making incremental progress: impacts of a REDD+ pilot initiative in Nepal." Environmental Research Letters 15, no. 10: 105004.
Municipal solid waste management is a challenging issue in developing countries. An unclean neighborhood could have a significant negative impact on housing property values too as it may lead to numerous diseases in addition to diminished aesthetic value. This study examines the effects of municipal solid waste collection services at the neighborhood level on housing property values using the hedonic price model. We use a sub-sample of nationally representative household survey data from urban areas as well as primary data collected from one of the metropolitan cities in Nepal. Our results suggest that city residents place a high price premium (between 25% and 57%) on cleaner neighborhoods and less (−11%) on open drains. These numbers indicate that better waste management will bring high returns to home owners, and also the municipality in cities where the tax base includes the assessed value of property.
Mani Nepal; Rajesh K. Rai; Madan S. Khadayat; E. Somanathan. Value of cleaner neighborhoods: Application of hedonic price model in low income context. World Development 2020, 131, 104965 .
AMA StyleMani Nepal, Rajesh K. Rai, Madan S. Khadayat, E. Somanathan. Value of cleaner neighborhoods: Application of hedonic price model in low income context. World Development. 2020; 131 ():104965.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMani Nepal; Rajesh K. Rai; Madan S. Khadayat; E. Somanathan. 2020. "Value of cleaner neighborhoods: Application of hedonic price model in low income context." World Development 131, no. : 104965.
This study was carried out to design an incentive payment for an ecosystem services (IPES) scheme in the Baitadi Town Water Supply and Sanitation Project of Nepal. The main intention behind the designing of the scheme was to develop strategy for equitable use of water resources and involve communities, watershed and water user, in the sustainable management of water resources. We administered household survey in both the watershed community and water users to elicit their preferences regarding water source management and drinking water supply. A discrete choice experiment was employed in the case of water users which showed that, for them, water quality and quantity are the most important attributes. The estimated annual willingness-to-pay of water users for doubling water availability is NPR 482,076 (USD 4,505) and for doubling the water quantity and the supply of clean water that can be drunk directly from the tap is NPR 1.18 million (USD 10,988). The results of consultations with stakeholders indicate that the construction of public toilets, the regularization of grazing, off-season vegetable farming and drinking water distribution in the upstream area may contribute to maintaining the quality of water while keeping the watershed community satisfied with regard to water-sharing. These activities require NPR 1.17 million (USD 10,987) in the first year and NPR 425,640 (USD 3,978) annually from the second year on. The estimated willingness-to-pay and cost of the watershed activities indicate that implementing IPES in the Baitadi Town Water Supply Project is financially feasible and socially acceptable. Our study recommends the integration of the IPES design into the project design phase in future drinking water scheme, the best option being its integration into the initial environmental examination at the time of project design.
Rajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal; Laxmi D. Bhatta; Saudamini Das; Madan S. Khadayat; E. Somanathan; Kedar Baral. Ensuring Water Availability to Water Users through Incentive Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme: A Case Study in a Small Hilly Town of Nepal. Water Economics and Policy 2019, 5, 1 .
AMA StyleRajesh Kumar Rai, Mani Nepal, Laxmi D. Bhatta, Saudamini Das, Madan S. Khadayat, E. Somanathan, Kedar Baral. Ensuring Water Availability to Water Users through Incentive Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme: A Case Study in a Small Hilly Town of Nepal. Water Economics and Policy. 2019; 5 (4):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal; Laxmi D. Bhatta; Saudamini Das; Madan S. Khadayat; E. Somanathan; Kedar Baral. 2019. "Ensuring Water Availability to Water Users through Incentive Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme: A Case Study in a Small Hilly Town of Nepal." Water Economics and Policy 5, no. 4: 1.
The extensive use of plastic bags in Nepal has led to growing concern in recent years. We investigate the impact of a municipal plastic bags ban on bags use behavior, based on a field survey carried out among consumers and retailers across selected municipalities. Our results indicate that the effectiveness of the ban critically depends on its enforcement and sanctioning system. In particular, our results suggest that the perceived sanction is a critical determinant of plastic bags use, as a doubling of the perceived sanction could reduce plastic bags use by two-thirds for retailers and by one-half for consumers. While the nominal amount of the fine does not seem to play a role, the probability of being detected appears to play a key role in the perceived sanction. This implies that effective monitoring of the ban by the municipal authorities is critical for the success of the policy.
Bishal Bharadwaj; Jean Marie Baland; Mani Nepal. What makes a ban on plastic bags effective? The case of Nepal. Environment and Development Economics 2019, 25, 95 -114.
AMA StyleBishal Bharadwaj, Jean Marie Baland, Mani Nepal. What makes a ban on plastic bags effective? The case of Nepal. Environment and Development Economics. 2019; 25 (2):95-114.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBishal Bharadwaj; Jean Marie Baland; Mani Nepal. 2019. "What makes a ban on plastic bags effective? The case of Nepal." Environment and Development Economics 25, no. 2: 95-114.
Municipal solid waste management is one of the major challenges that cities in developing countries are facing. Although waste collection services are critical to build a smart city, the focus of both scholarship and action/activism has been more on the utilization of waste than on collection. We devised a choice experiment to elicit the preferences of municipal residents with regard to the various attributes of solid waste collection services in the Bharatpur Metropolitan City of Nepal. The study showed that households identify waste collection frequency, timing of door-to-door waste collection services, and cleanliness of the streets as the critical elements of municipal waste collection that affect their welfare and willingness to pay. While almost all households (95%) were participating in the waste collection service in the study area, more than half (53%) expressed dissatisfaction with the existing service. Women were the main actors engaged in waste collection and disposal at household level. The results of the choice analysis suggest that households prefer a designated waste collection time with waste collection bins placed at regular intervals on the streets for use by pedestrians who often throw garbage on the streets in the absence of bins. For these improvements, households were willing to pay an additional service fee of 10–28% on top of what they were already paying. The study also finds that municipal waste collection can be improved through the involvement of Tole Lane Committees in designing the timing and frequency of the service and by introducing a system of progressive tariffs based on the number of storeys per house.
Rajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal; Madan Singh Khadayat; Bishal Bharadwaj. Improving Municipal Solid Waste Collection Services in Developing Countries: A Case of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Nepal. Sustainability 2019, 11, 3010 .
AMA StyleRajesh Kumar Rai, Mani Nepal, Madan Singh Khadayat, Bishal Bharadwaj. Improving Municipal Solid Waste Collection Services in Developing Countries: A Case of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Nepal. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (11):3010.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal; Madan Singh Khadayat; Bishal Bharadwaj. 2019. "Improving Municipal Solid Waste Collection Services in Developing Countries: A Case of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Nepal." Sustainability 11, no. 11: 3010.
Inhabitants of the upper Himalayan regions entertain a belief that the Chir Pine trees are ingressing the Broadleaf forest areas and that these areas are gradually turning into water stressed regions as Chir Pines adversely influence water recharge and water availability. This paper examines whether and to what extent the Chir Pine forest areas are water stressed compared to Broadleaf forest areas by studying the household coping cost in relation to water stress. We use the coping cost differences thereafter to value the relative water provisioning services of forest types. We conduct multiple focus group discussions, a questionnaire survey and statistical analyses to derive the results. Results show all households, except the ones living near Deodar forest, to face water stress in summer but the Chir Pine areas are the most water-stressed. Both comparison of mean and multivariate regressions of water collection time and other coping costs show that the villagers surrounded by Deodar, Deodar mix pine, Broadleaf mix bush or Broadleaf mix pine forests spend much less time for water collection and spend less on water treatment and storage compared to the villagers surrounded by Chir Pine forest irrespective of elevation, aspect or model used. These differences in water collection time amount to a wage income loss between USD 31 and USD 318 in India, and between USD 23 and USD 238 in Nepal per year per household, in Chir Pine areas compared to other forest areas.
Saudamini Das; Mani Nepal; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Laxmi D. Bhatta; Madan S. Khadayat. Valuing water provisioning service of Broadleaf and Chir Pine forests in the Himalayan region. Forest Policy and Economics 2019, 105, 40 -51.
AMA StyleSaudamini Das, Mani Nepal, Rajesh Kumar Rai, Laxmi D. Bhatta, Madan S. Khadayat. Valuing water provisioning service of Broadleaf and Chir Pine forests in the Himalayan region. Forest Policy and Economics. 2019; 105 ():40-51.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSaudamini Das; Mani Nepal; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Laxmi D. Bhatta; Madan S. Khadayat. 2019. "Valuing water provisioning service of Broadleaf and Chir Pine forests in the Himalayan region." Forest Policy and Economics 105, no. : 40-51.
A. K. Enamul Haque; Heman D. Lohano; Pranab Mukhopadhyay; Mani Nepal; Fathimath Shafeeqa; Shamen P. Vidanage. NDC pledges of South Asia: are the stakeholders onboard? Climatic Change 2019, 155, 237 -244.
AMA StyleA. K. Enamul Haque, Heman D. Lohano, Pranab Mukhopadhyay, Mani Nepal, Fathimath Shafeeqa, Shamen P. Vidanage. NDC pledges of South Asia: are the stakeholders onboard? Climatic Change. 2019; 155 (2):237-244.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. K. Enamul Haque; Heman D. Lohano; Pranab Mukhopadhyay; Mani Nepal; Fathimath Shafeeqa; Shamen P. Vidanage. 2019. "NDC pledges of South Asia: are the stakeholders onboard?" Climatic Change 155, no. 2: 237-244.
Cities in South Asia are experiencing storm water drainage problems due to a combination of urban sprawl, structural, hydrological, socioeconomic and climatic factors. The frequency of short duration, high-intensity rainfall is expected to increase in the future due to climate change. Given the limited capacity of drainage systems in South Asian cities, urban flooding and waterlogging is expected to intensify. The problem gets worse when low-lying areas are filled up for infrastructure development due to unplanned urban growth, reducing permeable areas. Additionally, solid waste, when dumped in canals and open spaces, blocks urban drainage systems and worsens urban flooding and waterlogging. Using hydraulic models for two South Asian cities, Sylhet (in Bangladesh) and Bharatpur (in Nepal), we find that 22.3% of the land area in Sylhet and 12.7% in Bharatpur is under flooding risk, under the current scenario. The flood risk area can be reduced to 3.6% in Sylhet and 5.5% in Bharatpur with structural interventions in the drainage system. However, the area under flood risk could increase to 18.5% in Sylhet and 7.6% in Bharatpur in five years if the cities' solid waste is not managed properly, suggesting that the structural solution alone, without proper solid waste management, is almost ineffective in reducing the long-term flooding risk in these cities.
Ismat Ara Pervin; Sheikh Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman; Mani Nepal; Abdul Kalam Enamul Haque; Humayun Karim; Ganesh Dhakal. Adapting to urban flooding: a case of two cities in South Asia. Water Policy 2019, 22, 162 -188.
AMA StyleIsmat Ara Pervin, Sheikh Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Mani Nepal, Abdul Kalam Enamul Haque, Humayun Karim, Ganesh Dhakal. Adapting to urban flooding: a case of two cities in South Asia. Water Policy. 2019; 22 (S1):162-188.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIsmat Ara Pervin; Sheikh Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman; Mani Nepal; Abdul Kalam Enamul Haque; Humayun Karim; Ganesh Dhakal. 2019. "Adapting to urban flooding: a case of two cities in South Asia." Water Policy 22, no. S1: 162-188.
Hindu Kush Himalaya is home to many cultural and religious sites. The literature on the valuation of cultural sites in the mountain terrains is thin. Hence, their development and sustainability are often ignored. Using primary survey data from three different sites in the Kailash Sacred Landscape of India and Nepal, the cultural value of religious sites to the visitors and households living in the surrounding areas was estimated using a modified travel cost method. As visitors travel by foot and offer donations at the religious sites, the estimations account for these aspects in travel cost calculations. For the sample sites, the per year average use value of cultural services was estimated to be USD 2.9 million. Excluding the use value to the outside visitors, the annual estimated use value of cultural services to the approximately 200,000 households of the entire KSL area, which covers 31,252 km2, is over USD 22.6 million, which is over 7% and 15% of the per capita income of Indian and Nepali households, respectively, indicating the importance of the natural-cultural environments in rural livelihoods. The estimated values will help planners manage these cultural sites sustainably for improving the livelihoods of the people living in the area.
Mani Nepal; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Saudamini Das; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta; Rajan Kotru; Madan Singh Khadayat; Ranbeer Singh Rawal; G. C. S. Negi. Valuing Cultural Services of the Kailash Sacred Landscape for Sustainable Management. Sustainability 2018, 10, 3638 .
AMA StyleMani Nepal, Rajesh Kumar Rai, Saudamini Das, Laxmi Dutt Bhatta, Rajan Kotru, Madan Singh Khadayat, Ranbeer Singh Rawal, G. C. S. Negi. Valuing Cultural Services of the Kailash Sacred Landscape for Sustainable Management. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (10):3638.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMani Nepal; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Saudamini Das; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta; Rajan Kotru; Madan Singh Khadayat; Ranbeer Singh Rawal; G. C. S. Negi. 2018. "Valuing Cultural Services of the Kailash Sacred Landscape for Sustainable Management." Sustainability 10, no. 10: 3638.
In the remote Himalayan districts of Pithoragarh, India and Baitadi, Nepal, households are dependent on agriculture and forests for their livelihood. In this paper, we examine poverty–forest linkages by examining data from a survey of 652 households from these districts, who live on either side of the Mahakali River. Per capita income in Nepal is half of that in India. Yet, in the Himalayas, where households live in a similar geographic terrain, we find that households in Nepal are much better off in terms of assets and income relative to their Indian counterparts. Per capita, Nepalese also collect less than half the fuelwood collected by Indians. Remittances, economic diversification and better water and sanitation infrastructure may contribute to improved livelihood outcomes in Nepal. Forests are intrinsic to life in both districts, and institutional or technological differences may be responsible for disparities in forest use.
Priya Shyamsundar; Saudamini Das; Mani Nepal. Forest Dependence and Poverty in the Himalayas—Differences Between India and Nepal. Ecology, Economy and Society 2018, 205 -223.
AMA StylePriya Shyamsundar, Saudamini Das, Mani Nepal. Forest Dependence and Poverty in the Himalayas—Differences Between India and Nepal. Ecology, Economy and Society. 2018; ():205-223.
Chicago/Turabian StylePriya Shyamsundar; Saudamini Das; Mani Nepal. 2018. "Forest Dependence and Poverty in the Himalayas—Differences Between India and Nepal." Ecology, Economy and Society , no. : 205-223.
Watershed management is critical for the sustainable supply of clean water to urban centers, particularly in areas of developing countries where large-scale infrastructure projects are costly to implement. In this paper, we discuss the potential for financing improvements in watershed services in the foothills of the Himalayas through Payments for Ecosystem Services. Through the use of a choice experiment to disentangle household preferences, we show that downstream water users are interested in improvements in water quality through source water protection. Households in Dharan municipality are willing to finance watershed management to the extent of USD 118,000 per year. These payments can be used to incentivize upstream households to decrease domestic livestock grazing, change agricultural practices and reduce open defecation to improve the drinking water quality and quantity in downstream areas. The estimated cost of these activities is less than $50,000 per year. Through discussions with local stakeholders, we propose a tri-partite institutional structure to facilitate transactions between downstream and upstream communities and to improve watershed services.
Rajesh Kumar Rai; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. Financing Watershed Services in the Foothills of the Himalayas. Water 2018, 10, 965 .
AMA StyleRajesh Kumar Rai, Priya Shyamsundar, Mani Nepal, Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. Financing Watershed Services in the Foothills of the Himalayas. Water. 2018; 10 (7):965.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRajesh Kumar Rai; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. 2018. "Financing Watershed Services in the Foothills of the Himalayas." Water 10, no. 7: 965.
The Government of Nepal has been providing subsidies to promote biogas technology since the 1970s and Solar Home Systems (SHS) since the 1990s. This study uses nationally representative survey data to examine the extent to which these subsidies benefitted the rural poor. We find that only 5% of households who are eligible for a biogas subsidy have adopted biogas; and only 2% of biogas adopters are below the poverty line, as compared to a poverty rate of 19% in the country. For SHS, 27% of the households eligible for subsidy have adopted the technology, and 25% of the adopters are below the poverty line. The SHS subsidy program is much more accessible to the poor as compared to the biogas subsidy program for two main reasons. First, Solar Home Systems are much cheaper than biogas plants, and so are more accessible to the poor after the subsidy, and second, the SHS subsidy is geographically targeted toward poor areas, while the biogas subsidy is not.
Dipendra Bhattarai; E. Somanathan; Mani Nepal. Are renewable energy subsidies in Nepal reaching the poor? Energy for Sustainable Development 2018, 43, 114 -122.
AMA StyleDipendra Bhattarai, E. Somanathan, Mani Nepal. Are renewable energy subsidies in Nepal reaching the poor? Energy for Sustainable Development. 2018; 43 ():114-122.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDipendra Bhattarai; E. Somanathan; Mani Nepal. 2018. "Are renewable energy subsidies in Nepal reaching the poor?" Energy for Sustainable Development 43, no. : 114-122.
Mani Nepal; Apsara Karki Nepal; Robert P. Berrens. Where gathering firewood matters: Proximity and forest management effects in hedonic pricing models for rural Nepal. Journal of Forest Economics 2017, 27, 28 -37.
AMA StyleMani Nepal, Apsara Karki Nepal, Robert P. Berrens. Where gathering firewood matters: Proximity and forest management effects in hedonic pricing models for rural Nepal. Journal of Forest Economics. 2017; 27 ():28-37.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMani Nepal; Apsara Karki Nepal; Robert P. Berrens. 2017. "Where gathering firewood matters: Proximity and forest management effects in hedonic pricing models for rural Nepal." Journal of Forest Economics 27, no. : 28-37.
Sharma, B. P., P. Shyamsundar, M. Nepal, S. K. Pattanayak, and B. S. Karky. 2017. Costs, cobenefits, and community responses to REDD+: a case study from Nepal. Ecology and Society 22(2):34. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09370-220234
Bishnu P. Sharma; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Subhrendu K. Pattanayak; Bhaskar S. Karky. Costs, cobenefits, and community responses to REDD+: a case study from Nepal. Ecology and Society 2017, 22, 1 .
AMA StyleBishnu P. Sharma, Priya Shyamsundar, Mani Nepal, Subhrendu K. Pattanayak, Bhaskar S. Karky. Costs, cobenefits, and community responses to REDD+: a case study from Nepal. Ecology and Society. 2017; 22 (2):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBishnu P. Sharma; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Subhrendu K. Pattanayak; Bhaskar S. Karky. 2017. "Costs, cobenefits, and community responses to REDD+: a case study from Nepal." Ecology and Society 22, no. 2: 1.
In this study, we undertake a choice experiment in order to identify differences in local demand for watershed services in the Koshi basin of Nepal. We first examine the possibility of using a non-monetary numéraire to estimate household willingness-to-pay for watershed services. Survey results indicate that while some 50% of the population is willing to pay in monetary terms for environmental services, this number increases to 72% when asked to contribute in labor time. Social benefits from environmental services are 1.4 to 2.2 times higher in labor hours relative to benefits estimated in monetary terms. Our findings suggest that cash constrained rural households in developing countries are more likely to express their demand for local environmental services by offering their time, rather than making a monetary payment. Our results also suggest that locational differences matter. Downstream community members, who practice commercial vegetable farming, have a higher demand for watershed services and are willing to pay a third more than upstream farmers for these services.
Rajesh Kumar Rai; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. Differences in demand for watershed services: Understanding preferences through a choice experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal. Ecological Economics 2015, 119, 274 -283.
AMA StyleRajesh Kumar Rai, Priya Shyamsundar, Mani Nepal, Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. Differences in demand for watershed services: Understanding preferences through a choice experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal. Ecological Economics. 2015; 119 ():274-283.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRajesh Kumar Rai; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. 2015. "Differences in demand for watershed services: Understanding preferences through a choice experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal." Ecological Economics 119, no. : 274-283.
This paper examines the role of national and sub-national institutions in managing carbon sequestration and trade in Nepal. It first asks whether it is feasible and advantageous to implement REDD+ in Nepal’s community managed forests. Then, using a pilot experimental program, it assesses whether community institutions can serve both existing needs and meet international demand for carbon. The review of secondary evidence suggests that community forestry can effectively and equitably manage REDD+ activity. However, there may be higher carbons returns to converting forests currently directly managed by the government to more efficient regimes. At the sub-national level, available evidence suggests that REDD+ activities can be successfully implemented, if, in addition to rent, communities receive technical mentoring that contributes to institutional strengthening.
Bishnu Prasad Sharma; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Subhrendu Pattanayak; Bhaskar S. Karky. Are Community Forestry Institutions Appropriate for Implementing REDD+? Lessons from Nepal. 2015, 1 .
AMA StyleBishnu Prasad Sharma, Priya Shyamsundar, Mani Nepal, Subhrendu Pattanayak, Bhaskar S. Karky. Are Community Forestry Institutions Appropriate for Implementing REDD+? Lessons from Nepal. . 2015; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBishnu Prasad Sharma; Priya Shyamsundar; Mani Nepal; Subhrendu Pattanayak; Bhaskar S. Karky. 2015. "Are Community Forestry Institutions Appropriate for Implementing REDD+? Lessons from Nepal." , no. : 1.
This paper discusses the findings from one of the first rigorous quasi-experimental studies using a ‘before-after-control intervention’ design that encompass all major aspects of REDD+: forest carbon and bio-physical, ecological, livelihood and welfare. The analysis of the outcome indicators from two years of REDD+ incentive payments indicate that there are positive signs of improved forest condition for carbon additionality and livelihood improvements, while no harm has been done to local livelihoods, which is generally feared in REDD+ literature. Although there is no change in forest carbon components in REDD+ communities compared to controls, important changes are observed in ecological indicators such as reduction in forest fires, timber extraction and encroachments that could contribute to carbon enhancement in the future. It is found that there is a decline in the share of firewood in household cooking that is consistent with the observed increase in biogas, a cleaner and convenient renewable energy source. These findings support the broader sense that REDD+ initiatives must and can work in tandem with other global initiatives (e.g., ENERGY + and the Sustainable Development Goals), in this case, indicating that a shift to biogas fuel could improve livelihoods and ensure REDD+ success in Nepal.
Bishnu Prasad Sharma; Subhrendu Pattanayak; Mani Nepal; Priya Shyamsundar; Bhaskar S. Karky. REDD+ Impacts: Evidence from Nepal. 2015, 1 .
AMA StyleBishnu Prasad Sharma, Subhrendu Pattanayak, Mani Nepal, Priya Shyamsundar, Bhaskar S. Karky. REDD+ Impacts: Evidence from Nepal. . 2015; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBishnu Prasad Sharma; Subhrendu Pattanayak; Mani Nepal; Priya Shyamsundar; Bhaskar S. Karky. 2015. "REDD+ Impacts: Evidence from Nepal." , no. : 1.
This study undertakes a choice experiment in order to identify differences in local demand for watershed services in the Koshi basin of Nepal. The paper first examines the possibility of using a non-monetary numéraire to estimate household willingness-to-pay for watershed services. Survey results indicate that while some 50% of the population is willing to pay in monetary terms for environmental services, this number goes up to 75% when asked to contribute in labor time. Social benefits from environmental services are 1.4 to 2.2 times higher in labor hours relative to benefits estimated in monetary terms. Thus, in developing countries, households are more likely to express their demand for watershed services by offering their time rather than making a monetary payment. Results also suggest that locational differences matter. Down-stream community members, who practice commercial vegetable farming, have a higher demand for watershed services and are willing to pay a third more than upstream farmers for these services.
Rajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal; Priya Shyamsundar; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. Demand for Watershed Services: Understanding Local Preferences through a Choice Experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal. 2015, 1 .
AMA StyleRajesh Kumar Rai, Mani Nepal, Priya Shyamsundar, Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. Demand for Watershed Services: Understanding Local Preferences through a Choice Experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal. . 2015; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRajesh Kumar Rai; Mani Nepal; Priya Shyamsundar; Laxmi Dutt Bhatta. 2015. "Demand for Watershed Services: Understanding Local Preferences through a Choice Experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal." , no. : 1.
Naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater is a major public health problem in Bangladesh. It is a difficult problem to address, partly because the effects of arsenic poisoning are not readily obvious to users. A government campaign to change behavior coloured safe tube wells green and unsafe tube wells red. This chapter presents the results of a study into the effects of this information campaign on behavior leading to exposure. The results show that there has been relatively little switching towards the safe tube wells. Education is associated with greater use of safe tube wells. Information campaigns by private and non-governmental organisations are more effective than information provided by the government. The chapter finds that people are not switching to safe wells, despite the private benefits exceeding the costs.
A. K. Enamul Haque; Zakir H. Khan; Mani Nepal; Priya Shyamsundar. Red Wells or Green Wells and Does It Matter? Examining Household Use of Arsenic-contaminated Water in Bangladesh. Environment and Development Economics 2014, 174 -199.
AMA StyleA. K. Enamul Haque, Zakir H. Khan, Mani Nepal, Priya Shyamsundar. Red Wells or Green Wells and Does It Matter? Examining Household Use of Arsenic-contaminated Water in Bangladesh. Environment and Development Economics. 2014; ():174-199.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. K. Enamul Haque; Zakir H. Khan; Mani Nepal; Priya Shyamsundar. 2014. "Red Wells or Green Wells and Does It Matter? Examining Household Use of Arsenic-contaminated Water in Bangladesh." Environment and Development Economics , no. : 174-199.