Stockholm, Sweden; 1 June 2022 – On the sidelines of the Stockholm+50 meeting, the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA) and the Government of Nepal, represented by the Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MOFE), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate on the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The signing of the MOU demonstrates the continued commitment of Nepal and Sweden towards enabling greater ambition in climate change mitigation through international cooperation.
The signing of this MOU is a key milestone for the Mobilizing Article 6 Trading Structures (MATS) Program. Through the MATS Program, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has been supporting the Government of Nepal to establish the institutional frameworks required for engagement in Article 6, as well as structuring a mitigation activity in the biogas sector for potential transfer under Article 6.
This milestone is the first formal step in the development of bilateral cooperation between Nepal and Sweden under Article 6. GGGI will continue to support the development of this partnership, which has the potential to demonstrate how cooperative approaches under Article 6 can contribute to raised climate ambition, while promoting sustainable development and ensuring environmental integrity.
“This Memorandum of Understanding is the first formal step in a mutually beneficial collaboration between Nepal and Sweden with regard to international carbon trading under Article 6. It will support Nepal’s ambitious climate goals as well as broader environmental and economic goals, such as sustainable waste management and energy security. We hope that this agreement will also support wider cooperation opportunities between Nepal and Sweden”, said Dr. Pem Narayan Kandel, Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment of Nepal.
“With this Memorandum of Understanding, we set the foundation for our cooperation on climate mitigation measures with Nepal. This agreement shows that Nepal and Sweden are ready to jointly raise climate ambitions and accelerate our transition to a more sustainable future”, said Robert Andrén, Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency.
“We are delighted to see this agreement signed between Nepal and Sweden. GGGI has been supporting the Ministry of Forests and Environment in its green growth ambitions for several years now, including through the development of the updated NDC,” said Lasse Ringius, Nepal Country Representative at GGGI. “This MOU is a very clear first concrete step towards developing a new stream of finance for implementing the NDC to its full extent and raising the ambition of future NDCs.”
The SEA supports the Swedish Government and society as well as external actors with facts, knowledge, and analysis of supply and use of energy in Sweden. The SEA has long been the home of Sweden’s CDM and JI program; and is now actively participating in international climate collaborations under the Paris Agreement. The SEA also provides funding for research on new and renewable energy technologies, smart grids, as well as vehicles and transport fuels. Furthermore, the SEA supports business development that promotes commercialization of energy related innovations and ensures that promising cleantech solutions can be exported. Official energy statistics, and the management of instruments such as the Electricity Certificate System and the EU Emission Trading System, are also part of SEA’s responsibility.
Based in Seoul, GGGI is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization that supports developing country governments transition to a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. GGGI delivers programs for 40 Members and partners – in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific – with technical support, capacity building, policy planning and implementation, and by helping to build a pipeline of bankable green investment projects. To learn more about GGGI, see https://gggi.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Image 1 on the right: (L-R): Dr. Pem Narayan Kandel, Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal; Robert Andrén, Director General, Swedish Energy Agency.
Image 2 on the page: (L-R): Stephan Gill, Program Manager, Mobilizing Article 6 Trading Structures (MATS), GGGI; Lasse Ringius, Nepal Country Representative, GGGI; Narayan Pd Pokhrel, Scientific Officer, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal; Dr. Pem Narayan Kandel, Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal; Robert Andrén, Director General, Swedish Energy Agency; Caroline Asserup, Head of Department, Renewable Energy and International Cooperation, Swedish Energy Agency; Sandra Lindström, Head of Unit, International Climate Cooperation, Swedish Energy Agency.