Co-development of Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Framework and Methodology for Nepal

Abstract

Conducting a Vulnerability and Risk Assessment is a critical step in adaptation planning and implementation. This research paper has assessed how the co-developed approach helped the Government of Nepal and stakeholders in Nepal to agree on and operationalize the Vulnerability and Risk Assessment framework and what works best for the country's context. The output of the vulnerability and risk assessment in Nepal presents a compilation of impacts, vulnerabilities, and risks and a description of their context, root causes, trends, and assumptions made. However, there were some challenges faced in analysing the vulnerability and risks based on the indicators. There was a lack of a multi-year, complete, and unform database, the analysis thus depended on the data available. Also, there were difficulties in developing scenarios of hazards due to unclarity on climate change attribution. The lessons from this paper will be important for designing a more practical and country-driven VRA framework and methodology for Nepal and other developing countries.