Locations
GLOF Sanjibani Project
Background
Nepal is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly in its mountain regions. Rising temperatures are accelerating glacier retreat and contributing to the rapid growth of glacial lakes. As these lakes expand, the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) increases, threatening people, infrastructure, tourism assets, hydropower facilities, agricultural land, and ecosystems downstream.
Recent mountain flood events have demonstrated how quickly climate-related hazards can affect communities and development gains. To address this urgent challenge, Nepal is shifting from a reactive disaster response model towards proactive climate risk management that reduces GLOF and flood risks before disasters occur. Strengthening preparedness, reducing risks, and reducing the exposure of vulnerable communities and critical infrastructure to GLOFs and related flood hazards are essential to safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and development gains in Nepal's mountain river basins.
Summary
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) GLOF Sanjibani Project is a flagship initiative that supports Nepal in reducing risks from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and climate change-induced flooding. With a total investment of USD 49.94 million, the project directly benefits more than 385,000 people and indirectly benefits around 2 million people living in vulnerable mountain river basins.
The project combines science, technology, community engagement, and nature-based solutions to strengthen resilience in Nepal's mountain regions. Key project activities include strengthening glacier and glacial lake monitoring systems, expanding hydrological and meteorological observation networks, improving early warning systems, reducing risks at four priority glacial lakes through lake-lowering interventions, implementing hybrid grey and green Eco-Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) and nature-based flood mitigation solutions, and strengthening the capacity of government institutions, communities, and private sector partners to respond to climate-related hazards.
The project focuses on four priority glacial lakes located in the Koshi and Gandaki River Basins:
- Lower Barun – Sankhuwasabha District (Koshi Basin)
- Lumding Tsho – Solukhumbu District (Koshi Basin)
- Hongu 2 – Solukhumbu District (Koshi Basin)
- Thulagi – Manang District (Gandaki Basin)
These lakes have been identified as priority sites for intervention through a joint UNDP-ICIMOD assessment of potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal. The project will implement targeted measures to reduce GLOF risks and related flood impacts on downstream communities, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
Targeted achievements
- Benefit more than 385,000 people directly and almost 2 million people indirectly
- Reduce risks at four priority glacial lakes
- Strengthen hydrological and meteorological monitoring systems
- Expand early warning system coverage and dissemination
- Improve climate risk information and planning
- Reduce exposure of vulnerable communities to GLOFs and related flood hazards
- Enhance protection of critical infrastructure, tourism assets, and hydropower investments
- Strengthen institutional and technical capacity for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction
Project Outputs
- Output 1: Institutional and technical capacity strengthened to develop and integrate climate risk and hazard information into planning and development.
- Output 2: Improved hazard monitoring and the generation and dissemination of early warnings to local communities and important economic sectors.
- Output 3: Reduced probability of GLOF events and flash floods, through disaster risk reduction measures implemented in priority glacial lake watersheds.
GESI Component
The project integrates Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles across all outputs. Activities are designed to promote inclusive participation and ensure that women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups actively participate in, lead, and benefit from climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction interventions. GESI considerations will be integrated throughout project implementation, with progress monitored and reported against established targets and indicators.
Environmental and Social Safeguard
The project will integrate environmental and social considerations throughout implementation to ensure responsible and sustainable delivery of activities. Assessment, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and grievance redress mechanisms will be applied to address potential impacts and enhance environmental and social outcomes.
Project details:
| Project status | Active |
| Project period | 2026 - 2033 |
| Project ID | 01006042 |
| Geographic coverage | Koshi and Gandaki River Basins |
| Project partners | Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI), Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment (MoAFE), Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), and their implementing departments; Nepal Tourism Board (NTB); Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal (IPPAN) |
| Budget | USD 49,944,050 (GCF: USD 36.16 M; Government Co-financing: USD 11.32 M; UNDP: USD 2.14 M; Private Co-financing: USD 0.32 M) |
Contact Details
| UNDP Focal Point | Project Focal Point |
| Monica Upadhyay Head of Communications, UNDP Nepal Email: monica.upadhyay@undp.org | Dr. Prem Poudel Project Coordination Specialist Email: prem.poudel@undp.org |
