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Paper short abstract

In Kathmandu, river corridor interventions show how green transitions and NbS rely on technocratic planning, overlooking local and Indigenous knowledge, community needs, and ecological perspectives. This study explores how environmental justice can support inclusive and place-based urban resilience.

Paper long abstract

Nepal is vulnerable to effects of climate change, facing floods, landslides, glacier hazards, and unplanned urbanization. Certain adaptation policies and programs are in place; however, these apply traditional top-down approach, mostly anthropocentric. Rivers, wetlands, and urban green infrastructure are regarded as instruments for mitigation and urban development overlooks natural ecosystems shaped by both human and non-human interactions. Kathmandu Valley is an ideal spot for case study to observe these problems. Poorly planned urbanization, degradation of the river corridor, wetland areas, and intensified monsoons have worsened flood-risk while perpetuating social and environmental inequalities.

While river restoration and urban greening have become popular, the process of designing and implementing is adopted without involving grassroots communities. This research adopts mostly a qualitative methodology, combining policy and planning documents analysis, field observations along selected river-stretches, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and FGDs with certain communities.

The research explores how resilience ideas are defined and how decision-making takes place. It also analyzes the roles that different forms of knowledge can play in the planning and decision making. Finally, the research demonstrates how urban resilience strategies can shift towards more participatory, balanced, and context-sensitive pathways for green transition and governance.

In Kathmandu, river corridor interventions highlight how green transition agendas and nature-based solutions often rely on technocratic planning, while sidelining local and Indigenous knowledge, community priorities, and ecological relationships. This paper examines how transformative environmental justice can help reframe resilient futures by promoting fairer distribution of power, inclusive decision-making, and more grounded approaches to urban environmental governance.