SASEC Roads Improvement Project (RRP NEP 48337)

PROJECT CLIMATE RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT REPORT

I. Basic Project Information

Project Name South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Roads Improvement Project
Project Budget US$ 186.80 million
Location South Nepal
Sector Transport
Theme Inclusive economic growth; environmentally sustainable growth
Brief Description of Project
The key project outputs will be (i) rehabilitated and upgraded road network, and (ii) improved road
safety and maintenance. A total of 160 kilometers of roads will be upgraded to four lanes, with proper
median and shoulders, safety features, and better climate resilience. Performance-based maintenance
included in works contracts will be undertaken for 5 years after construction to ensure better asset
quality and improved maintenance. The project will provide (i) consulting services to support
implementation of the civil works, and (ii) equipment to enhance road safety by establishing a road
accident emergency response system.
1
The impact of the project will be enhanced connectivity within Nepal and with neighboring countries.
The outcome will be an improved road transport system.

II. Summary of Climate Risk Screening and Assessment

A. Sensitivity of project component(s) to climate/weather conditions
Project components Sensitivity to climate/weather conditions
(1) Road Design of project components need to focus on sensitive weather
(2) Bridges parameters that are subject to a wide variety of changing
(3) Cross and longitudinal climate/weather conditions in future, such as increased intensity and
drains frequency of precipitation and extreme temperature rises.
(4) Slopes
B. Climate Risk Screening
Risk topic Description of the risk
(1) Extreme temperature (1) According to the Nepal NAPA project, mean annual temperature is
1.2°C–1.4°C by 2030, 1.7°C–2.8°C by 2050 and 2060 and 3°C–
4.7°C by 2090 and 2100. An analysis of temperature records
showed warming trends after 1977 of 0.06°C–0.12°C per year in
most of the middle mountain and Himalayan regions, while the
Siwalik and Terai (southern plains and also the project area) show
2
warming trends less than 0.03°C per year.
(2) Extreme rainfall and (2) The NAPA precipitation data does not reveal any significant trends.
related flooding and Analysis of data from 166 stations across Nepal from 1976 to 2005
landslides showed an increasing trend of annual rainfall in eastern, central and
far-western Nepal. According to the study on Climate and Climatic
Variation over Nepal, precipitation extremes show an increasing
trend in total and heavy precipitation events and more weather
3
related extreme events like floods and landslides.

1
Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission. 2013. Thirteenth Plan (FY2014–2016). Kathmandu.
2
A.B. Shresta et al. 1999. Maximum Temperature Trends in the Himalaya and its Vicinity: An Analysis Based on
Temperature Records from Nepal for the Period 1971-94. pp. 2775-2786.
3
Government of Nepal, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Department of Hydrology and
Meteorology. 2015. Draft Report: Study of Climate and Climatic Variation over Nepal. Nepal.
2

C. Climate Risk Classification: High

Climate risk assessment
As part of the environmental impact assessment a section on climate risk assessment has been
prepared. Under this section, key climate change risks identified were increased temperature and
increased rainfall and related flooding and landslides.

III. Climate Risk Management Response within the Project

While increased temperature and rainfall are the 2 risks identified, in the context of Nepal and road
projects, it is mainly the increased rainfall and related flooding and landslide risks that are relevant to the
two project roads. To mitigate this risk, the following measures have been incorporated in the design of
the two roads.

1. Raising embankment height by 30 centimeters (average) in road section (low lying area)
2. Construction of new side and lead away drains and slope protection works
3. Replaced the old pipe culverts with box culverts to enable the culvert to accommodate
increased flow and constructed more new box culverts
4. Designed the major bridges to have a freeboard of 1.5 meters above the HFL

The total cost for the above design measures is approximately $66.5 million. Further details of the cost
break-up of the two roads is provided in the table below.

NB Road BLT Road

Adaptation Measure
($ million) ($ million)
1. Increase embankment height 3.35 1.67
2. New sideway and lead way drains and 12.67 2.06
retaining walls for slope protection
3. New box culverts and improved existing 18.49 3.50
pipe culverts
4. Increased height of major and minor 24.76 0.00
bridges
TOTAL 59.27 7.23
GRAND TOTAL $ 66.5 million

BLT = Butwal–Bhairahawa–Lumbini, C = Celsius, HFL = high flow level, NAPA = National Adaptation
Programme of Action, NB = Narayanghat–Butwal.