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Last updated on 16 January, 2020

Conference Programme – Mountain People Adapting to Change

International Conference on Mountain People Adapting to Change
Kathmandu, Nepal, 9 – 12 November 2014

Tentative programme

Day 1: 9 November 2014, Sunday
Inauguration and High-Level Leadership Panel
Morning Visit to ICIMOD Knowledge Park (Optional)
14:00-15:00 Inaugural Session:
Mountain people Adapting to Change: Solutions beyond Boundaries Bridging Science, Policy, and Practice
Master of Ceremonies: Naina Shakya (ICIMOD)
Welcome and Setting the Agenda: David Molden (ICIMOD)
Welcome by Co-Organiser: Krishna Chandra Paudel (Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Nepal)
Lighting of Lamp
Adaptation Issues in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region: Eklabya Sharma (ICIMOD)
Address from ICIMOD’S Bog: Govind Raj Pokharel (Vice Chair, Nepal Planning Commission)
Address from Chief Guest: Rt. Hon’ble Sushil Koirala, Prime Minister, Nepal
About the Conference and Vote of Thanks: Nand Kishor Agrawal (ICIMOD)
15:00-17:00 High-Level Leadership Panel:
Managing Change: Challenges of translating knowledge into adaptation policy and action in the mountains
Moderator: David Molden (ICIMOD)
Panellists:

  • Christiana Figureres (UNFCCC Secretariat) [via video]
  • Malik Shakhir Bashir Awan, Member, National Assembly of Pakistan
  • Jigmi Rinzin, Member of Parliament, National Council of Bhutan
  • Krishna Chandra Paudel, Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment, Nepal
  • NBK Tripura, Secretary, Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Bangladesh
  • Anil K Sinha, Vice Chair, BSDMA, India
17:00 Onwards High Tea
Day 2: 10 November 2014, Monday
Adaptation Science
08:45-09:00
Launching of ICIMOD’s Regional Database System

Speaker: H.E. Kjell Tormod Pettersen, Ambassador, Royal Norwegian Embassy to Nepal
09:00-10:30
Plenary – Formal Panel: [Megha-Malhar Hall]
Adding Knowledge and Evidence: Strengthening regional knowledge beyond IPCC Assessment ReportsChair : Kristin Halvorsen (CICERO; former Minister of Finance & of Education, Norway)
Keynote : Dipak Gyawali (NWCF; former Minister of Water Resources of Nepal)
Panellists :

  • Atiq Rahman (Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies)
  • N.H. Ravindranath (Indian Institute of Science)
  • Anand Patwardhan (University of Maryland)
  • Arun B. Shrestha (ICIMOD)

Session Host: Nand Kishor Agrawal
10:30-11:00 Tea and group photo
11:00-12:30 Parallel Sessions:
Moving from climate observations to scientific understanding in the HKH context
Dialogue Cafe:
[Mehga Hall]Questions of Scale:
Applying global and regional climate scenarios to HKH basins
Chair: Asit K. Biswas (Third World Centre for Water Management)
Keynote: N.H. Ravindranath (Indian Institute of Science)
Panellists:

  • Liu Suxia (IGSNRR)
  • Christopher Scott (University of Arizona)
  • Bob van Oort (CICERO)
  • Robert Zomer (ICRAF/KIB)

Session Host: Philippus Wester

 Interactive Panel:
[Malhar Hall]Emerging Concerns:
Black carbon and the cryosphereChair: Svante Bodin (ICCI)
Keynote: Tobias Bolch (University of Zurich)Panellists:

  • Arnico Panday (ICIMOD)
  • Cong Zhiyuan (ITP)
  • Maria Shahgedanova (University of Reading)

Session Host: Arun B. Shrestha

 Interactive Panel:
[Malshree Hall]Predicting Uncertainties:
The challenges of disaster preparednessChair: V.K. Gaur (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research)
Keynote: Anil K Sinha (Bihar SDMA)Panellists:

  • Anand Sharma (Indian Meteorological Dept.)
  • Mats Eriksson, SIWI
  • Salmanuddin Shah (FOCUS Pakistan)
  • Mandira Shrestha (ICIMOD)

Session Host: MSR Murthy and Neera Shrestha-Pradhan
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-15:00 PARALLEL SESSIONS:
Bridging local and global knowledge to improve livelihoods in changing landscapes
Interactive Panel:
[Malshree hall]Sustaining the Mountains:
Ensuring food security through flexible production systemsChair: N. B. Kishore Tripura, Government of Bangladesh
Keynote: Tor Aase (CICERO)
Panellists:

  • Golam Rasul (ICIMOD)
  • Nina Homelin (CICERO)
  • Feng Yan (AIRC)
  • Chencho Norbu, MoAF

Session Host: Abid Hussain

 Interactive Panel:
[Malhar Hall]A Fine Balance:
Connecting community and ecosystem-based adaptationChair: V. K. Bahuguna (Govt of Tripura)
Keynote: Xu Jianchu (ICRAF/KIB)Panellists:

  • Rajendra P. Agarwalla (Govt of Assam)
  • Babar Khan (WWF-Pakistan)
  • Luis Waldmueller (GIZ)
  • Wu Ning (ICIMOD)

Session Host: Laxmi D. Bhatta

 Dialogue Cafe:
[Mehga Hall]Vulnerability and Resilience:
Integrating science with marginalized groups responses to change
Chair: Sara Ahmad (IDRC)
Keynote: Ganesh Thapa (former IFAD)Panellists:

  • A. Nambi Appadurai (WRI)
  • Elizabeth Gogoi (CDKN)
  • Su Yufang (KIB)
  • Suruchi Bhadwal (TERI)

Session Host: Chanda Gurung Goodrich and Anjal Prakash
15:00-15:30 Tea
15:30-17:00 Dialogue Cafe : [Megha-Malhar Hall]
Consolidating Knowledge: Adaptation science for holistic perspectives in upstream and downstream contextsChair: Roland F. Steurer (GIZ Nepal)
Panellists: Parallel session chairs (6) present one/two key issues from their sessions

  • Asit K Biswas (Third World Centre for Water Management)
  • Svante Bodin (ICCI)
  • V. K. Gaur (CSIR, India)
  • N. B. Kishore Tripura (Govt of Bangladesh)
  • V. K. Bahuguna (Govt of Tripura, India)
  • Sara Ahmad (IDRC)

Session Host: Rajan Kotru
18:00 Onwards Cultural Evening followed by Reception Dinner
Day 3: 11 November 2014, Tuesday
Adaptation Policy and Action
08:45-10:30 Plenary – Interactive Panel: [Megha-Malhar Hall]
Enhancing Compatibility: Connecting National Adaptation Plans with global strategiesChair: Zafar Hasan Reza, PARC, Pakistan
Keynote: Atiq Rahman (Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies)
Panellists:

  • Rojina Manandhar (UNFCCC)
  • Arabinda Mishra (TERI University)
  • Vijaya Singh (UNDP-Nepal)
  • Batu Uprety (Least Developed Countries Expert Group)

Session Host: Dhrupad Choudhury
10:30-11:00 Tea
11:00-12:30 [SHOWCASE] Voices of the Future: Innovative solutions from regional organizations and presentations from the next generation of change-makers.
Innovative Solutions Marketplace: Over 20 organizations from HKH countries will demonstrate/ showcase their work

Marketplace team: Naina Shakya, Laxmi B. Dutta, Bhawana Syangden, Neera Shrestha-Pradhan

 20 young professionals selected out of about 100 submissions from HKH countries will present posters on adaptation solutions

Poster session Judges: Rucha Ghate, Muhammad Ismail, Deo Raj Gurung, T. V. Padma
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-15:00
Parallel Sessions:
Engaging actors from the periphery of adaptation policy discussions
Interactive Panel:
[Malshree Hall]Insurance and Risk Mitigation Strategies: Ensuring recovery after climate-induced lossChair: Mohammad Rafiqul Islam (Planning Commission, Bangladesh)
Keynote: SVRK Prabhakar (IGES)Panellists:

  • Giovanna Gioli (University of Hamburg)
  • Eddy Moors (WUR)
  • Anamika Barua (SaciWaters)
  • Judy Oglethorpe (WWF)

Session Host: Nand Kishor Agrawal

 Interactive Panel:
[Malhar Hall]Transboundary River Basins:
Management and benefit sharing as an adaptation mechanism
Chair: Anil Sinha (Bihar SDMA)
Keynote: Asit K. Biswas (Third World Centre for Water Management)
Panellists:

  • Mats Eriksson (SIWI)
  • Ramesh Vaidya (ICIMOD)
  • Sandhya Rao (IIT-Delhi)
  • Gyanendra Lal Pradhan (Hydro Solutions)

Session Host: Aditi Mukherji and Shahriar Wahid

 Dialogue Cafe:
[Megha Hall]From Mountain to Mountain:
Lessons for the HKH from other regionsChair: Basanta Shrestha (ICIMOD)
Keynote: Yuri Badenkov (Russian Academy of Science)
Panellists:

  • Manfred Seebauer (GIZ)
  • Lawrence Hislop (GRID-Arendal)
  • Janine Kuriger (SDC)
  • Saskia Werners (Wageningen University)

Session Host: Erling Valdemar Holmgren
15:00-15:30 Tea
15:30-17:00 Dialogue Cafe: [Megha-Malhar Hall]
Connecting the Dots: Translating science to policy with effective communication
Moderator: Anne Solgaard (GRID)
Keynote: Ashok Gurung (India China Institute)
Panellists:

  • Kunda Dixit (Himal Media)
  • Batu Krishna Uprety (Least Developed Countries Expert Group)
  • Mona Laczo (BBC Media Action)
  • Trude Rauken, CICERO
  • Rucha Ghate (ICIMOD)

Session Host: Anja Moller Rasmussen
17:00 Onwards Kathmandu By Night : Optional evening walks through historic and cultural areas of the city (Patan Durbar Square)
Day 4: 12 November 2014, Wednesday
Adaptation Practice and Solutions
8:45-10:30 Plenary Session: [Megha-Malhar Hall]
In Practice: Integrating adaptation knowledge into developmentChair: Jigmi Rinzin, Member of Parliament, Bhutan
Keynote: Hari K. Upadhyay (CEAPRED)
Panellists:

  • Mohammad Rafi Qazizada, MAIL, Afghanistan
  • Sunil Tankha (International Institute of Social Studies)
  • Bernard Cantin (International Development Research Centre, CARIAA)
  • Muhammad Hashim Popalzai (Pakistan Ministry of National Food Security & Research)

Session Host: Dhrupad Choudhury, Erling Valdemar Holmgren
10:30-11:00 Tea
11:00-12:30 Parallel Sessions:
Applying lessons from science and policy in local contexts
Dialogue Cafe:
[Malhar Hall]Climate-Smart Strategies:
Large and small-scale innovations and services for changing climatesChair: Yang Yongping (KIB)
Keynote: Pramod Kumar Aggarwal (CGIAR CCAFS)
Panellists:

  • MSR Murthy (ICIMOD)
  • Raminder Singh (RML)
  • Partha J. Das (Aaranyak)
  • Dong Suocheng (CAS)

Session Host: Suman Bisht

 Interactive Panel:
[Malshree Hall]Adaptation in Action:
Indigenous, existing, and emerging practices for managing livelihoodsChair: Eklabya Sharma (ICIMOD)
Keynote: Bernard Cantin (IDRC)Panellists:

  • Pushkin Phartiyal (CHEA)
  • Veronika Utz (GIZ Pakistan)
  • San Win (Myanmar University of Forestry)
  • Madhav Karki (Former ICIMOD)

Session Host: Soumyadeep Banerjee

 Dialogue Cafe:
[Megha Hall]Adding Value:
Promoting climate resilient livelihoods and value chainsChair: T.S. Papola (ISID)
Keynote: Suraj Vaidhya (SAARC CCI)Panellists:

  • Anu Joshi (ICIMOD)
  • Pankaj Raturi (Dabur)
  • K. Murali (IDRC)
  • Pradip Maharjan (FNCCI)

Session Host: Marjorie van Strien
12:30-13:30 Lunch and Networking
13:30-15:30 Concluding Plenary – High-Level Policy Panel: [Megha-Malhar Hall]
Getting Mountains on the Global Agenda: Mapping the way forwardFacilitator: David Molden (ICIMOD)
Summary of the conference: Ganesh Thapa (former IFAD)
Panellists [TBC]:

  • Bhartendu Mishra, Member, National Planning Commission, Nepal
  • Jigmi Rinzin, Member of Parliament, Bhutan
  • Jamie McGoldrick, UN Resident Coordinator, Nepal
  • Rojina Manandhar, Representative, UNFCCC
  • Arjun Thapa, Secretary General, SAARC
  • Malik Shakhir Bashir Awan, Member, National Assembly of Pakistan
16:15-17:17 Media Briefing