Green Skills Advisory Board launched in Nepal

KATHMANDU: Nepal has formally launched its first Green Skills Advisory Board (GSAB), a public‑private initiative aimed at linking the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system with environment‑friendly skills to promote sustainable employment and development.

The GSAB will work to raise awareness of green skills, shape training policies that support environmentally responsible practices, and take concrete steps to expand training and create jobs. Initial focus areas include sustainable agriculture, environment‑friendly construction and tourism.

The board follows a stakeholder conference held in April 2024 under the British Council’s initiative, which recommended creating a high‑level mechanism to promote green skills modelled on UK practice. The British Council Nepal is providing technical assistance to the GSAB, and the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) is serving as secretariat, with advisory input coming from UK institutions, including Exeter College.

Speaking at the launch, Choodamani Paudel, Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), said the initiative is timely given the growing threats to human health and the planet from rising temperatures and carbon emissions. He urged stronger connections between education, skills, production and markets, and called for continued collaboration between government and the private sector. "The Government of Nepal has been working on policy reforms regarding this subject. This project, started with a partnership between the government and the private sector, must be moved forward together," He said.

FNCCI President Chandra Prasad Dhakal highlighted the need for new thinking and practices in response to climate change and said businesses are preparing to adopt greener skills. "Our industries and businesses are also becoming ready to adopt environment‑friendly skills. The FNCCI is always ready to contribute to training and employment to make skills development environment‑friendly," Dhakal said. He added: "Through the GSAB, public‑private partnership (PPP) can be further strengthened, Nepal's youth force will be oriented towards sustainable employment, and this effort will surely support the development of a green economy in the future."

British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn said the board will support Nepal’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 and pledged continued support. Member Secretary of CTEVT, Engineer Mahesh Bhattarai, said the GSAB will help build partnerships to meet demand for green skills and advance the national aim of carbon neutrality.

Representatives from industry groups also voiced support. Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) President Birendra Raj Pandey affirmed the Confederation’s commitment to promoting environment‑friendly skills, while Federation of Contractors' Associations of Nepal (FCAN) President Rabi Singh cautioned that green initiatives should not block development and urged a focus on sustainable progress. GSAB member Binod Badal described green skills as "the future need of Nepal" and stressed the importance of government‑private sector collaboration.

GSAB Coordinator Pramod Bhakta Acharya presented the board’s planned actions and current efforts in Nepal. The board includes institutional representation from CTEVT, the MoEST, FNCCI, CNI and FCAN.