PODS by PEI

Ep#050 When the world took itself indoors and online during the pandemic, a unique virtual movement bubbled in the Nepali social media sphere, one that identified multitudes of Nepal’s cultural objects in the unnatural glass cases of foreign museums and mobilized, in thousands, for their repatriation. For the first time, the Nepali masses collectively denounced cultural trafficking, pressuring withholders to give back what is rightfully theirs. In this episode, PEI's Khushi and Emiline delve into the obscure world of cultural heritage trafficking and its impact on communities, with a particular focus on Nepal. The two tap into Emiline’s expertise as a criminologist to understand the processes involved in the trafficking of cultural objects and its history and persistence in Nepal. They then discuss the repatriation of such objects and how restorative justice can be achieved in the process. Dr. Emiline Smith is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Glasgow (Scotland). She is a Fellow of the Centre for Criminology at the University of Hong Kong and a member of the Trafficking Culture Research Consortium and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. In addition, she is an advisor to the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign and several other NGOs. She recently authored and published a trilingual storybook for children titled ‘Pema and the Stolen Statue from Dolpa’; for more information, see www.stolenstatues.com. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and/or click here to support us on Patreon!!

Ep#049: The current rise in temperature is a cause for concern for everyone, everywhere. In recent years, the April temperatures in the Terai region have consistently crossed the 40+ degree centigrade mark. But this pattern of record-high temperatures is not confined to just the Terai region. It's also happening in places like Kathmandu, which is known for having much milder weather conditions. As a result, we are witnessing a rising trend of school closures, extending even to hilly regions such as Gorkha and Tanahun. Surprisingly, there are news reports that Nepal is experiencing record heat extending as far north as Lukla. In this episode, PEI’s Nirjan Rai sits down with Aditya Valliathan Pillai to discuss the science behind the growing heat waves around the world, including Nepal and India, the impacts on the economy and society, and what lessons we can learn from the Indian experience. Aditya Valiathan Pillai is a fellow with the Initiative for Climate, Energy and Environment (ICEE) at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). He studies the social and economic consequences of climate impacts in India and South Asia, and the policies and institutions that can help adapt to these changes. His current work focuses on strengthening policies to combat extreme heat. He also studies the forms and varieties of national climate institutions, with a specific focus on how India should restructure its institutions to achieve mitigation and adaptation objectives. If you liked the episode, click here ( https://patreon.com/podsbypei ) to support us on Patreon!!

Anantaa Pandey, an expert on driving the electric vehicle revolution in Nepal, discusses the progress and challenges in Nepal's electric mobility journey. Topics include financing and infrastructure challenges, government policies, and the potential benefits of electric mobility such as reducing air pollution and promoting gender equity.

#Ep.047 Last Monday, the 29th of May, Finance Minister Dr. Mahat took the parliamentary podium for three grueling hours to announce the national budget for the Fiscal Year 2023/ 24. Besides the typical significance of the policy document for the State, this year’s Budget gathered more anticipation as word about a looming economic crisis was spreading fervently among experts and citizens alike. The Budget and its performance hence is a test for the State to prove its capacity to overcome historical errors.  In today's episode,  PEI’s Saumitra Neupane sits with Sagar Prasai and Paras Kharel in a riveting conversation discussing the Nepal Budget FY 2023/24, analyzing its structure, priorities, and impacts.  They situate the Budget in the current context of an economic slowdown, tracing historical patterns, factors, and events that have enervated the Nepali economy. Their conversation then informs how the budget responds to contemporary economic challenges and what factors play into its performance success or failure.  Sagar is a development professional with over two decades of experience working in the areas of water, energy, climate issues, and regional cooperation in South Asia. He currently provides advisory services to various organizations, including The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government’s DFAT.  Paras is a trade economist with over 15 years of research experience. He is the Executive Director at South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, and Environment and has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Melbourne.  Click here to support us on Patreon!!

#Ep.046 Nepal's current state of infrastructure financing plays a critical role in shaping the country's development and prosperity. Adequate infrastructure is crucial for Nepal's economic growth, job creation, and overall socio-economic advancement. However, Nepal faces various challenges in securing sustainable infrastructure financing for long-term development. Limited fiscal resources, difficulty accessing affordable financing, bureaucratic hurdles, and governance issues hinder the financing process. Furthermore, political instability, weak institutional frameworks, and corruption pose additional obstacles to attracting essential foreign investment. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive efforts to streamline bureaucratic processes, enhance governance practices, establish specialized financing mechanisms, and create a favorable investment climate. In today’s episode of PODS by PEI, we have PEI colleague Saurab Lama’s conversation with Radhesh Pant. Building on Radhesh’s past experiences at the helm of the Investment Board of Nepal, Saurab and Radhesh explore the intricacies of project planning, financing, and implementation of various Nepali projects, and discuss the core challenges Nepal faces to ensure sustainable and effective infrastructural development. They further discuss the way forward for Nepal to improve its institutional organization, resource mobilization, and governance in the midst of the climate debate and the ongoing geopolitical contestations within the South Asia region. Radhesh is the Senior Managing Partner at VRock and Company and also serves as chairman in various boards for Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio resources (ANSAB), Smile Nepal, and is a founding director for South Asia Institute of Management (SAIM). He also served as the Chief Executive of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN). He holds an MBA from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Bachelor of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), India. Click here to support us on Patreon!!

#Ep.045 मिडिया जनतालाई विश्वसनीय सुचना दिएर शुसुचित बनाउने माध्यम हो | तर आजको दिनमा नेपाली मिडियाको विश्वसनीयता माथि नै प्रश्न उठेका छन् | मिडिया हाउसहरु आफुलाई व्यवसायिक भन्छन् । तर व्यावसायिक रुपमा संगठित हुने नाममा त्यहाँ काम गर्ने पत्रकारहरुले राजनीतिक पार्टीका भ्रातृ संघठनका च्याप्टर खोलेका छन् , र त्यस अन्तर्गत चुनाव समेत लड्दछन् । यस्तो अवस्थामा ति मिडियाले प्रकाशित/प्रसारित गर्ने समाचारमा कुनै पार्टी/आस्था प्रति आग्रह/पूर्वाग्रह हुदैन भनेर जनताले विश्वास गर्ने आधार हराउँदै गएको छ | कतिपय नयाँ/पुराना नेता/पार्टीहरुले स्थापित मिडियाको विश्वसनीयता नरहेको भन्दै आफ्ना कुरा राख्न, प्रचार गर्न सामाजिक संजाल लगायत बैकल्पिक तरिकाहरु पनि अपनाएको देखिन्छ । स्थापित मिडिया प्रायोजित/ पुर्वाग्राहित भयो भनेर आरोप लाग्दैगर्दा, सामाजीक संजाल लगायत बैकल्पिक भनिएका माध्यमबाट पनि गलत, तथ्यहीन र पुर्वाग्रहपूर्ण समाचार/सामाग्री आउने गरेका छन् | यसले गर्दा हाम्रो सार्वजनिक बहसलाई कस्तो असर परेको छ त ? के स्थापित मिडियाको एजेन्डा सेटिंङ्ग रोल अब सामाजिक संजालले खोसेको हो? अतः मिडियाको बिज्ञापन लिन सरकार/व्यवसायिक घरानाहरु प्रतिको निर्भरता र तिनै बाट पुरस्कारहरु समेत पाउने चलनले, मिडियाले तिनै संस्थाहरु लाई प्रश्न गर्ने र तिनको अनियमितता लाई उदाङ्गो पार्ने क्षमता माथि प्रश्न उठेको छ| अरु लाई ‘स्वार्थ बाझिने’ काम गरेकोमा औला उठाउने मिडियाको चैं यसो गर्दा स्वार्थ बाझिदैंन? यिनै बिषयहरुलाई समेट्दै, आजको भागमा पी. ई. आई. का जनक पोख्रेल, पत्रकार केपी ढुंगानासँग उनको गत वैशाख ७ गते, उकेरा डटकममा “साँच्चै 'हामी' किन यति धेरै अविश्वसनीय भयौँ ?” नामक शिर्षकमा लेखिएको लेखको अन्तरङ्गमा रहेर संवादमा बस्दैछन् | ढुंगानाले मिडिया पनि समय र अवस्था/व्यवस्था अनुरुप परिवर्तन हुनुपर्ने र बिज्ञापन लिनका लागी सरकार/व्यवसायिक घरानाहरु प्रतिको निर्भरतालाई तोड्नुपर्ने आवस्यकता रहेको कुरालाई उठान र विश्लेषण गर्नुभएको छ | केपी ढुंगाना, पेशाले एउटा पत्रकार हुनुहुन्छ। उहाँले त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयबाट स्नातक गर्नुभएको छ र पछिल्लो १७-१८ वर्ष देखि पत्रकारिता पेशामा संलग्न हुनुहुन्छ | नेपाललाइभ डटकमको सम्पादकको रुपमा काम गरिसक्नुभएको उहाँ अहिले उकेरा डटकमसंग प्रधान सम्पादकको रुपमा आवद्ध हुनुहुन्छ। यो भन्दा अगाडी उहाँले राजधानी दैनिक, नयाँ पत्रिका, नागरिक, कान्तिपुर आदिमा पनि काम गरिसक्नु भएको छ। उहाँ विशेषगरी खोज पत्रकारितामा सक्रिय हुनुहुन्छ र सुरक्षा सम्बन्धि बिषयमा रिर्पोटिङ गर्न खास रुचि र दक्षता राख्नुहुन्छ | उहाँले अन्तरदेशीय संगठित अपराध सम्बन्धि पुस्तक - “ओपन सेक्रेट” पनि लेख्नुभएको छ | Patreon मा हामीलाई समर्थन गर्न यहाँ क्लिक गर्नुहोस् !!

#Ep.044 Due to its novelty, Cyberspace is an obscure topic for most people. While individual ignorance of cyberspace and its threats might be a considerable vulnerability, the stakes are significantly higher when the same ignorance is seen among States. Yet, most Governments still do not pay attention to building up their cybersecurity, and the situation is worse for developing countries like Nepal which already have their hands full with reaching basic development goals. In this episode, PEI Colleague, Hridesh Sapkota, sits with Rajib Subba to discuss Nepal’s Cybersecurity Landscape. The two begin by demystifying the realms of cyberspace. They then explore how the Nepali State has maintained its cybersecurity, discussing recent failures and successes and if the Nepali State is doing enough given the growing contemporary threats in the cyber sphere. Rajib is former DIG and served as the Director of Communication Directorate in the Nepal Police. He did his Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and brings more than twenty-five years of professional experience in communication, information technology, and crisis management. In addition, Rajib serves in various professional associations and community organizations, including the Computer Association of Nepal. Click here to support us on Patreon!!

Explore Nepal's push for electric cooking solutions as a way to reach net zero emissions by 2045. Learn about the challenges and opportunities in the electricity sector, demand side management strategies, and the positive impact of electric cooking on climate change. Discover the importance of public-private collaboration in promoting and implementing electric cooking solutions.

Energy expert Ben Cahill discusses the changing global energy landscape, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, climate change, and the transition to renewable energy sources. They explore challenges in the oil and gas industry, the geopolitics of energy, impacts on developing countries, and the role of hydrogen in decarbonization. The podcast highlights the need for energy diversification and investments in greener energy.

#Ep.041 In this enlightening episode of the PEI podcast, we delve into the intricate dynamics of international labor migration. Join our host, Anuj Tiwari, as he engages in a riveting conversation with Rebekah Smith, a renowned expert in labor mobility and public policy. They unpack the multi-layered economic and social impacts of labor migration on the host nations, migrant workers, and countries of origin. Explore how labor migration policies necessitate careful balancing, addressing the often conflicting consequences for all involved parties. We delve into the tough decisions that inform the design of labor immigration policies, highlighting the integral role of ethics and values beyond mere facts. Drawing on Rebekah's extensive experience and scholarly publications, we discuss effective migration systems, the global effects of migration on stakeholders, and optimal responses to these challenges. Rebekah, the executive director of Labor Mobility Partnerships, boasts a wealth of experience in addressing market and regulatory challenges obstructing safe and effective labor mobility. Your support on Patreon allows us to bring these crucial global issues to the forefront. Click here to support us!