On October 29, 2025, the Society of Nepalese Engineers in the UK (SONEUK) held the ninth installment of its Talk Programme series. Moderated by Er. Srijana Khadka, the session featured a keynote presentation by Er. Manoj Kapri titled “Urban Sustainability in Nepal: Challenges and Prospects.”

Addressing the Urbanization Crisis

Er. Kapri’s presentation delved into the rapid pace of urbanization across Nepal, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive and resilient development. Key points of the discussion included:

• Global Best Practices: Sharing successful sustainability frameworks from other nations that could be adapted to the Nepali context.

• National Strategy: Analyzing the National Urban Development Strategy (NUDS) 2017 and its roadmap for building smart, livable cities.

• Technical Empowerment: The necessity of investing in research, capacity building, and local technical expertise to manage growth effectively.

Interactive Dialogue: Heat Islands and Solutions

The event transitioned into a vibrant Q&A session where participants explored localized environmental issues, such as:

• The Urban Heat Island effect impacting major hubs like Kathmandu and Pokhara.

• Practical, engineering-led measures to mitigate environmental degradation in densifying cities.

Conclusion and Acknowledgments

Dr. Rudra Paudel, Vice Chairperson of SONEUK, closed the event by emphasizing that sustainable urban development is no longer optional for Nepal but a critical necessity.

SONEUK expressed its gratitude to Er. Kapri for his detailed research and thanked the participating engineers for an hour of high-level professional engagement that underscored the society's commitment to knowledge sharing.