TERI - ICIMOD - NTNC - UK International Development Consultation Highlights Pathways for Forest Fire Management and Air Quality in Nepal

On 25 March 2026, TERI in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), and UK International Development, organized a Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Forest Fire Management and Air Quality in Nepal at NTNC, Khumaltar, Lalitpur under the ongoing regional study, “Comprehensive Study on Solutions for Forest Fire Management and Air Quality Improvement in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Region.”

The workshop brought together representatives from government agencies, conservation institutions, research organizations, and community-linked stakeholders to deliberate on Nepal’s forest fire scenario, associated air quality concerns, and pathways for improved prevention, preparedness, and response.

In the inaugural session, Dr Naresh Subedi, Member Secretary, NTNC, delivered the welcome remarks, while Mr Ashish Tiwari, IFS, Action Area Air Lead, ICIMOD, presented the study objectives, scope, and expected outcomes. Mr. Buddhi Sagar Paudel, Director General, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), shared guest remarks, and the workshop was graced by Hon’ble Madhav Kumar Chaulagain, Minister of Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal, as Chief Guest.

The Minister emphasized that pollution is a transboundary issue, stressing the importance of regional knowledge sharing and collaboration, and highlighted the need for context-specific solutions suited to Nepal’s diverse forest ecosystems.

In his context-setting address, Dr JV Sharma, Senior Director, TERI, underscored that forest fire management in the HKH must move beyond suppression-centred approaches toward prevention-led, community-based, and climate-resilient pathways, while also drawing attention to the growing relevance of carbon finance and ecosystem restoration-linked mechanisms.

In the technical session, Mr Sayanta Ghosh, Associate Fellow, TERI, highlighted forest fire dynamics and risk drivers in the HKH region, with emphasis on climatic stress, fuel accumulation, human-induced ignition, and the need for geospatial prioritization. Mr Rachit Kumar, Associate Fellow, TERI, and Ms Madhuparna Majumder, Research Associate, TERI, presented on existing prevention mechanisms, institutional frameworks, and the air quality implications of forest fires, stressing the need to better integrate policy, local preparedness, and public health considerations into fire management planning.