Nepal’s transport sector is undergoing a rapid shift as electric vehicle (EV) adoption accelerates. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) now account for 12.38 % of private passenger vehicle sales, including 46 % of four-wheelers and 9.6 % of two-wheelers, while 29 % of new public passenger vehicle sales are BEVs. Despite this growth, the majority of the population relies on collective transport solutions such as mini- and microbuses circulating in cities. These vehicles are often old and polluting, and their operators lack the financial means to purchase EVs. A recent workshop mapped existing transport-sector data sources and agreed on first steps toward developing a national greenhouse gas (GHG) MRV roadmap for the sector.
The Nepal – Electric Transport (Sustainable Electric Transport for Nepal, SET4NPL) project, supported by the Mitigation Action Facility and jointly implemented by GIZ and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), aims to strengthen electric mobility in Nepal by improving access to finance, expanding public fast-charging infrastructure, and introducing modern management and payment solutions for EV minibus users and operators. Importantly, the project also develops Nepal’s capacity to track GHG emissions from its transport sector. By 2030 and 2035, Nepal aims to increase sales of BEVs to 70 % and 90 %, respectively, for all public passenger vehicles. Reliable data is essential for planning effective measures to achieve these targets.
National workshop on GHG tracking
On 28–29 December 2025, SET4NPL organised a two-day stocktaking workshop in Kathmandu, titled “Establishing a National GHG Emission Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) System for the Transport Sector”. Jointly organised by the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT), GIZ, GGGI, and GEF–WWF, the workshop reviewed Nepal’s existing transport-sector data landscape and outlined a roadmap for developing a transparent, robust, and sustainable MRV system aligned with the National MRV Framework.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from across Nepal’s transport and climate ecosystem, including federal government agencies, public and private transport institutions, development partners, and academic experts. Discussions focused on Article 13 of the Paris Agreement and the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), underscoring the importance of a strong national MRV system as Nepal transitions from Biennial Update Reports (BURs) to Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs); essentialfor tracking, reporting, and verifying emission reductions supported by the Mitigation Action Facility.
A technical session revealed a significant ‘mileage gap’, with real-world CO₂ emissions found to be 58–88% higher than manufacturers’ rated values. This highlighted the limitations of Tier 1 estimates and reinforced the need to shift towards Tier 2 and Tier 3 MRV approaches, which rely on more detailed vehicle activity and performance data rather than broad fuel-based estimates.
Strengthening national data ownership
Addressing the workshop, Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary at MoFE, stressed the importance of Nepal owning and generating high-quality national data:
“We hope the discussions from this workshop will help the government generate high-quality, reliable, and practical data. By strengthening and owning our data, we can replicate this approach across other sectors, support evidence-based decision-making, and meet reporting obligations to the UNFCCC. This initiative will also pave the way for greater access to climate finance and strengthen Nepal’s climate governance.”
Promoting low-emission transport solutions
The workshop highlighted sectoral measures, including promoting electric mobility, alternative fuels, and improved vehicle fitness systems, to curb rising transport emissions and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. Participants also explored practical pathways to strengthen data-driven mitigation, drawing on existing national systems such as Nepal’s forestry MRV geospatial portal and internationally recognised IPCC methodologies. These exchanges demonstrated how improved digitalisation, accurate emission estimation, and integrated data systems can support evidence-based policymaking, unlock climate finance, and accelerate Nepal’s transition to a low-emission transport sector.
Building on the workshop outcomes, SET4NPL and government partners will now begin refining the transport MRV roadmap, strengthening institutional coordination, and piloting improved data collection approaches to support Nepal’s upcoming Biennial Transparency Reports.
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