Under the “Enhancing Local Capacities in Socially Inclusive Resilience in Asia (SIRA)” project, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, South Asia, successfully conducted a virtual training session on the Introductory Module on 30 June 2025 for selected municipalities in Nepal. The event marked the beginning of a series of trainings to be conducted under the SIRA project to strengthen the capacity of municipalities in Nepal on inclusive and climate-resilient urban development.

The primary objective of the first training session was to build a foundational understanding of climate change, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) with a focus on urban settings. The event saw active participation of 31 municipal officials representing 14 municipalities. It was divided into three thematic sessions that focused on the concepts of climate change and climate resilience; disaster risk reduction, and gender equality, disability, and social inclusion.

In the first session, Rahul Singh, Senior Manager, Sustainability at ICLEI South Asia, introduced the foundational principles of climate change, climate resilience, and its adaptation and mitigation strategies. The discussion highlighted the integration of GEDSI into urban planning and examined the key climate risks and vulnerabilities that the municipalities in Nepal faced. The session underscored the critical role of resilience building in urban development.

The second session focused on DRR. Anuradha Adhikari, Assistant Manager, Climate and Energy, ICLEI South Asia, delved into the concepts of hazards, disaster risk and resilience and explored their connections with climate change. It provided an overview of the disaster risks in Nepal and emphasised the importance of DRR planning at the city level.

The third session focused on the principles of GEDSI within the framework of climate resilience. Bedoshruti Sadhukhan, Assistant Director of ICLEI South Asia, offered practical guidance on incorporating GEDSI considerations into DRR strategies and resilience planning, ensuring inclusive and equitable approaches to climate action.

The event helped the participants to understand key technical concepts of climate change, climate resilience, and DRR planning, and equipped them with the knowledge to identify key climate risks and vulnerabilities affecting municipalities and local communities. It also emphasised the importance of integrating GEDSI into climate action and resilience planning.

In the plenary session that followed, participants shared the primary climate and disaster risks faced by them in their areas and discussed the actions being undertaken by the municipalities to address them. The risk of landslides emerged as one of the major concerns for almost all participants.  They discussed common causes of landslides, including excessive rainfall due to a changing climate and unplanned infrastructure development. City representatives from Dhankuta, Suryodaya, and Kohalpur highlighted good practices such as the development of climate-smart villages, gender friendly budgeting practices, and community-owned solid waste management practices to mitigate the risks related to landslides.

This introductory training marks a significant step toward strengthening socially inclusive and climate-resilient urban governance in Nepal. By bringing together municipal officials from across the country and building their capacity and knowledge on climate change, disaster risk reduction, and GEDSI principles, the event laid a strong foundation for informed local action.