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Members of our team have lived and worked in Nepal, and we have trained and visited people from communities that may have been affected. Although we have not received reports of any colleagues or direct project partners being impacted, our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone affected, including the communities and partners with whom we have worked over many years.
Events such as these underline the urgent need to strengthen climate resilience and ensure that transport infrastructure and the communities it serves are better prepared for the effects of a changing climate.
The toolbox is being developed under the RIDE programme and is designed to support more resilient and sustainable transport decision-making. It is currently being piloted in three locations across Nepal: Pokhara Metropolitan City, Annapurna Rural Municipality and Madi Rural Municipality.
These pilots are an important step in understanding how the toolbox can respond to different local needs and operating environments. By working across both metropolitan and rural areas, the project can gather valuable insights into the varied climate-related challenges facing Nepal’s transport systems and communities.
The importance of local knowledge
At this stage of the project, building strong relationships with local experts and stakeholders is fundamental. Tools and approaches designed to improve climate resilience must be informed by the people who understand the local context, infrastructure and challenges most closely.
The symposium provided an invaluable opportunity to engage directly with stakeholders on the ground, listen to their perspectives and discuss how science, innovation and technology can help strengthen transport resilience. I am genuinely grateful to everyone who shared their knowledge, experience and ideas.
This collaboration will help ensure that the Climate Resilience Toolbox is grounded in practical realities and can support meaningful, evidence-based action.
Science and innovation for sustainable transport
RIDE is a platform programme focused on catalysing change through science and innovation during this critical decade of action on sustainable transport.
The programme operates through a collaborative funding and delivery model. UK International Development is the primary funder, providing core strategic investment and direction, complemented by co-financing from Shell Foundation, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Programme delivery is led by implementation partners including GIZ, WRI, TRL and Shell Foundation, which work together across science, innovation and technology activities. This collaborative approach brings together international expertise and local knowledge to help address complex transport challenges and support lasting change.
Looking ahead
The insights gathered through the three pilots and our continued engagement with stakeholders will be vital as we refine the Climate Resilience Toolbox and consider its future application.
I look forward to continuing this collaboration and supporting initiatives that strengthen climate resilience across Nepal. By combining robust science and innovative thinking with local expertise, we can help create transport systems that are better prepared for the challenges of a changing climate.
This is RIDE: where science moves transport forward.
To find out more on TRL’s work on climate resilience to enable sustainable transport or to discuss how TRL can help your road network contact us at enquiries@TRL.co.uk, and for information on the RIDE programme click here
