Securing Water in the Rapidly Urbanising Global South: Insights from Critical Analysis of ‘Sectoral Policies’ in Nepal

Abstract

Cities in the global south are facing complex challenges of climate change, unplanned development and ageing water infrastructure. Climate change is likely to undermine the ability of urban water supply systems to meet both the present and future needs of the population. Concerns have been raised about the existing water management policies inability to address the challenges of climate change and unplanned urban development. The paper investigates whether and how the sectoral policies on climate change, urban development and water address critical urban water issues and; how and in what ways these policies are linked (or not linked). Based on the analysis of urban, water and climate policies and drawing insights from water forum meetings organised in Dharan and Dhulikhel, we demonstrate that the existing urban, water and climate related policies have insufficient focus on urban water and lack effective interlinkages amongst these themes. Lack of awareness about the policy provisions, challenges and ambiguities in implementing the policy provisions, lack of recognition of the stakeholders’ role in policy formulation and its effective implementation, unclear provisions made in the policies appear as constraints for implementing the policies. We argue that a coherent policy framework would help to address the complex issues of urban water, shaped by climate change and urban development.