This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.

Back to news
2 Jan 2015 | Climate change

Good science a must to address climate change in the HKH region

Speaking at the Sixth People’s SAARC Conference organized by the Nepal Chapter of Nature-Human Centric People’s Movement in Kathmandu, Nepal on 17-18 November 2014, Dr David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, noted that the mountain systems of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, which spans six SAARC member countries and two non-SAARC countries, are particularly vulnerable to climate change.

1 min Read

70% Complete
Inauguration of the newly established FABKA secretariat in Kathmandu. ICIMOD, 2019.

He issued a call for enhanced transboundary cooperation to address climate change in the HKH region.

“Green house gas emissions, and black carbon have, in their own ways, contributed to climate change, resulting in the rapid melting of glaciers and formation of glacial lakes in the HKH region, some of which pose risks to downstream populations,” Dr Molden said, showing slides to illustrate how dramatically the Rongbuk glacier in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China has retreated over the last 86 years.
“Climate change is not only affecting glacier dynamics, but also monsoon precipitation patterns with implications for water, food, and energy security across the region.”
He said that there is general consensus among scientists that climate change will likely lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme events such as floods, droughts, and heat spells in the future.
 “Generating good science on how climate change and other drivers are impacting the mountain communities and ecosystems is a must to address climate change in the HKH region,” he said.
Describing the HKH region as a ‘global asset’, he added that it is not only the source of ten major river systems of Asia – lifeline to over 1.3 billion people, a fifth of the world’s population – but also home to incredibly rich human, cultural, and biological diversity.
Dr Molden called on all those present at the conference to help draw the international community’s attention to the HKH region in order to address the many challenges associated with climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Responding to comments from the audience, Dr Molden said that the West must indeed do more to help countries like Nepal that bear the brunt of climate change impacts despite their negligible contribution to climate change. On the question of water disputes between India and Bangladesh, he said that concerned authorities of the two countries should initiate dialogue to resolve them.
Besides climate change, the conference, also covered other topics such as corruption, unemployment, and rule of law. The two-day conference was inaugurated by Honorable Finance Minister of Nepal, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

RELATED CONTENTS

Continue exploring this topic

4 Oct 2016 Himalica
Pilot Project Empowers Nepali Women as Agents of Change

A two-day workshop on ‘Empowering Women as Agents of Change’  to contextualise gender inequality, to identify and strengthen the perceptions ...

15 Dec 2015 News
International Mountain Day 2015: Promoting Mountain Products for Better Livelihoods

    On ...

1 Apr 2019 KDKH
Koshi Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Hub to Strengthen Transboundary Collaboration

Upstream–downstream linkages in the basin can serve as a basis for managing shared disasters and provide opportunities for Disaster Risk ...

27 Mar 2015 News
SERVIR-Himalaya takes satellite imagery technology to the grassroots

Community members learn to use satellite imagery for monitoring their forest More than 30 community members from Khayar Khola watershed in ...

13 Aug 2018 News
ICIMOD’s Eklabya Sharma delivers Sikkim University Foundation Day Lecture

By sharing relevant data from the HKH on increasing temperature trends, glacier area loss, and changing precipitation patterns, Sharma explained ...

6 Oct 2016 News
Pakistani Policy Makers Visit Upper Indus Basin Pilot Projects

A field visit to enhance understanding of ongoing International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) activities in Pakistan through exposure ...

17 Aug 2018 HUC
Yunnan University Hosts Second HUC Water Group Meeting

Established in November 2017, the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) Thematic Working Group on Water (Water Group) is a regional initiative ...

5 Jun 2023 Press releases
山区居民、登山者和科学家在珠峰敲响警钟，倡议世界各国领袖们立即迈向脱碳之路

距人类首登世界之巅已70年，而气候紧急情况发生在此：在兴都库什-喜马拉雅区域内，三分之二的冰川预计将在本世纪末消失。 领先的山地机构国际山地综合发展中心（ICIMOD）、尼泊尔登山协会(NMA)和山区伙伴关系(Mountain Partnership) 呼吁全世界来拯救地球上的冰雪，以避免为时过晚。 #“拯救我们的雪”宣言在最初48小时内就收集到1000多个签名，其中包括新西兰前总理、各国外交官、传奇登山者和著名地球科学家。 尼泊尔加德满都讯（2023 年 5 月 29 日）——七十年前的今天，在埃德蒙·希拉里爵士和丹增·诺尔盖首次登上珠峰 ； 70 年后的今天，地球上最高的山峰正在经历由全球变暖引起的前所未有且基本不可逆的变化。 全球变暖正在危及珠峰与兴都库什-喜马拉雅地区的环境，该地区横跨八个国家，约长3500公里。根据目前的排放情况，科学家预计在未来70年内，该地区三分之二的冰川或将消融。 国际山地综合发展中心（ICIMOD）在包括 尼泊尔登山协会 和 山区伙伴关系（联合国自愿伙伴联盟）在内的全球山地机构的支持下，呼吁公众支持 #拯救我们的雪（#SaveOurSnow）运动。该运动要求公众： 在社交平台分享来自世界各地山区的故事和照片，使用#SaveOurSnow 标签 强调气候影响； 在网址 icimod.org/saveoursnow/declaration/ 签署一份宣言，呼吁各国政府兑现将升温限制在 1.5 ...