This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.
3 mins Read
Policy workshop sets ground for a regional assessment of adaptation responses for the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Kathmandu, Nepal 3 February 2017 – As the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is one of the fastest warming and most vulnerable regions on Earth to climate change, implementing adaptation measures that target these mountains and downstream areas is crucial. But to what extent are existing national and sectoral adaptation policies relevant to the HKH, and where can they be strengthened? This has been the focus of a two-day workshop, entitled ‘Regional Policy Workshop on Adaptation Outlook for the Hindu Kush Himalaya,’ which concluded today at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal.
To address this issue, the workshop – jointly organised by ICIMOD, the UN Environment Programme (UN Environment) and GRID-Arendal – brought together policy and research experts who focus on climate change and mountain ecosystems in the HKH and beyond.
The workshop focused on building a foundation for assessing region-wide risk and vulnerability to climate hazards, and the existing adaptation policies and measures. By identifying policy gaps as well as opportunities, the findings of the workshop will provide decision makers with much-needed knowledge to meet current and future challenges from climate change and other drivers.
Over the last two days, participants reviewed and provided feedback on a background document entitled, ‘Key Climate Risks and Adaptation Policies and Actions for the Hindu Kush Himalaya’. Government representatives shared their views on national adaptation approaches for mountain ecosystems coping with climate change. These discussions will lead to the development of a report titled, “Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Mountains,” which will be part of UN Environment’s Mountain Adaptation Outlook series.
“We have a very important job in the days ahead,” said David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, to the gathering. “It is a very special thing that we have come from so many different countries to bring our minds together on the issue of adaptation. We hope this can be the foundation for more regional cooperation on this issue, because regional cooperation is paramount to securing the future of mountains and mountain people.”
“ICIMOD together with its partners brings tremendous knowledge on adaptation across the region” said Yubak Dhoj GC, Secretary, Ministry of Livestock Development, Government of Nepal. “The assessment of adaptation practices in the region is very much important for overall adaptation planning in the countries, and also for cross border learning”.
The ICIMOD-led assessment for the eight HKH countries focuses on the mountain range shared by over 1.3 billion people from Afghanistan to Myanmar. This assessment is the sixth in the series of Regional Mountain Adaptation Outlooks under development by UN Environment, GRID-Arendal and other regional mountain centres of excellence. The Adaptation Outlook series uses a common methodology across global mountain regions to facilitate comparison and knowledge exchange among these groups.
“Mountain areas across the Hindu Kush Himalaya face many of the same threats from climate change,” said Mozaharul Alam, the Regional Climate Change Coordinator for UN Environment. “Sharing of experiences and cooperation between the eight countries will therefore mutually increase their adaptive capacity. The HKH Partnership launched during UN Environment Assembly is a key platform to bring policy makers across the region together for improved coordination and exchange of experience.”
The Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, is proposed to launch at the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) at the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany.
For additional information on the event, please contact:
Nira Gurung Senior Communications Officer, ICIMOD Email: nira.gurung@icimod.org; Tel: 5003222 Ext 115
Nand Kishor Agrawal Programme Coordinator – HICAP, ICIMOD Email: nandkishor.agrawal@icimod.org; Tel: 5003222 Ext 228
Matthias Jurek Programme Management Officer UN Environment, Europe Office, Vienna Programme Office Email: matthias.jurek@unvienna.org
Tina Schoolmeester Project Manager Polar and Mountain Environments Programme GRID-Arendal, Norway Email: tina.schoolmeester@grida.no
Share
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.
Related contents
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Agni Prasad Sapkota, Minister of Forest and Soil Conservation ...
B-roll, spokespeople available ICIMOD experts call for bold action and urgent finance to prevent collapse of nature in High Mountain Asia ...
尼泊尔加德满都讯——国际山地综合发展中心 (ICIMOD) 和可持续地球全球联盟 (GASP) 联手促进兴都库什-喜马拉雅(HKH) 的社会与环境变革。 双方签署了一份谅解备忘录 (MoU)以开展合作,联手促进农村及山区生活质量得到改善,同时为子孙后代保护该地区的生态系统。 兴都库什-喜马拉雅(HKH) 地区从阿富汗延伸到缅甸,横跨巴基斯坦、印度、中国、尼泊尔、不丹和孟加拉,拥有 10 个主要河流流域、四分之一人口和全球第三大冰冻水域。然而,科学家们越来越担心气候危机对该地区的影响,对整个地区居民的生命与生计构成威胁。 在合作伙伴关系下,国际山地综合发展中心 (ICIMOD) 和可持续地球全球联盟 (GASP)将促进与当地居民和弱势社区的磋商和参与纳入相关研究。 国际山地综合发展中心 (ICIMOD)将分享其与八个区域成员国的当地社区合作 的40 年经验,还会将其见解整合到更广泛的区域和政策论坛中。这种伙伴关系将使它们能够支持当地社区的声音和解决方案,并增加投资流量。 国际山地综合发展中心总干事白马·嘉措博士说:“与可持续地球全球联盟 (GASP)的这种伙伴关系能够加强我们在这一领域的工作——支持当地社区的声音与解决方案,并增加投资流量。通过我们在林业社区的工作,我们多次看到将当地见解融入政策制定的益处。 可持续地球全球联盟 (GASP)秘书长萨蒂亚·特里帕蒂 (Satya S. ...
ICIMOD works for the advancement of mountain people in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. It is governed by its BoG, ...
Read in english 随着高温热浪袭击了孟加拉、中国、印度、缅甸和巴基斯坦,本月亚洲气温记录被刷新。国际山地发展中心(ICIMOD)的科学家们敦促全球政府和企业加快减排速度,发展机构来投入更多的气候资金,以努力加快脚步来帮助该地区适应气候变化。 周一(4 月 17 日)孟加拉首都达卡的气温达到41 摄氏度,印度普拉亚格拉吉达到 45 摄氏度,缅甸葛礼瓦达到 44 摄氏度。中国长沙、福州创当地最早入夏记录,浙江的几个城市也刷新了全省4月最高气温记录。 4 月 ...
Earlier this year, the South Asian floods of 2020 were declared a humanitarian crisis when millions across the subcontinent were ...
A week-long training and knowledge sharing workshop for young people from 17 Asian countries opened today in Kathmandu, helping to ...
A two-day workshop at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu consolidated efforts to strengthen research and ...