Indigenous Peoples’ Experience with the Revision of Nepal’s National Biodiversity Strategic and Action Plan

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted in 2022, marks a historic milestone in international environmental policy through its explicit and unequivocal recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and contributions to conservation.

As a next step, Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity were required to update and revise their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to align with the KMGBF within two years. These updates, still ongoing in many countries, provide a prime opportunity to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ rights and integrate their knowledge.

This regional report is part of a series documenting Indigenous Peoples’ and advocates’ experiences with NBSAP revision processes in several Asian countries where AIPP members and partners are active. By examining both successful engagement strategies and persistent challenges, they offer insights for other Indigenous advocates, highlight key concerns for policy-makers, and point to important opportunities for allies to support Indigenous Peoples.

Nepal Country Spotlight

This paper traces how Indigenous Peoples in Nepal organized, negotiated, and asserted their rights during the revision of the country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to align with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It highlights a shift from exclusion to partial inclusion, as Indigenous Peoples secured seats on steering and technical committees and pushed for local-level consultations, while still facing resistance to rights-based approaches, land tenure recognition, and Indigenous and Traditional Territories. The paper highlights both the potential and the limits of participation within state-led biodiversity planning and why sustained Indigenous Peoples’ advocacy remains essential to move from recognition to real influence.

Click here to download the full Nepal Country Spotlight