This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.
SG1 & AAA
ICIMOD Headquarters, Nepal
09 December 2024 to 10 December 2024
Organisers: ICIMOD, Australian Aid, SDC
AGENDA
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, also known as the “Third Pole,” is a global hotspot for climate-induced disasters, including floods, landslides, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and avalanches. Its fragile ecosystems, coupled with rapid socio-economic changes and growing population density, increases its vulnerability. ICIMOD has worked to address these risks for over a decade. However, greater regional collaboration is urgently needed to enhance the resilience of governments and communities, leaving no one behind.
ICIMOD’s experience in the HKH and other regions has shown that knowledge platforms can play a crucial role in facilitating collaboration between countries with shared geographies. As part of this effort, ICIMOD has established several knowledge networks, with the Koshi Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Hub (KDKH) being one such initiative.
Building on the success of the KDKH, ICIMOD’s Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) intervention under ICIMOD’s Action Area A: Managing Cryosphere and Water Risks Strategic Group 1: Reducing Climate and Environmental Risks’ is organising a regional platform, the HKH Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Hub (HDKH), to expand the scope of collaboration to a regional level after consultation with key stakeholders in the previous year.
The overall objectives of the HDKH are to: promote science and evidence based collaboration, understanding, and decision-making across the HKH region through scientific knowledge and experience sharing related to water-related disasters; strengthen the science-policy–practice interface by developing and showcasing solution-oriented research and practices; synthesize and provide recommendations for policy advocacy that takes into consideration transboundary actions; and facilitate dialogue and trust building among different stakeholders such as policy/decision makers, implementers, media outlets, and private-sector organisations.
This event marks the launch of the HDKH. Each year, the Hub will organise an annual event, with a specific thematic focus based on the global, regional and national DRR priorities and interventions.
In its inaugural year, the hub will establish its governance structure and set up key working groups (WG) aligned with the four priorities of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR). These working groups will focus on long-term collaboration and action, while the event’s annual theme will vary based on global, regional, and national priorities in DRR.
The HDKH will address crucial issues, including providing timely and actionable early warning information to support this global initiative, while also identifying a regional path forward. In addition to thematic knowledge sharing, this event will define the Hub’s governance model and set the roadmap for its continued efforts in enhancing disaster resilience across the HKH region.
This year, the event will focus on ‘Early Warning for All’ (EW4All), considering the region’s vulnerability to floods and other disasters. The theme is aligned with the United Nation’s (UN) EW4All Executive Action Plan 2023-2027 and ICIMOD’s ongoing interventions and marks ICIMOD’s first such regional event centered on this theme.
EW4All, a UN-led initiative, aims to ensure that everyone is protected by Early Warning Systems (EWS) by 2027. EW4All plays a critical role in mitigating disaster risk and enhancing community resilience in the HKH. It empowers individuals and communities to take proactive measures to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and assets against impending hazards. ICIMOD has been working to contribute to the EW4All initiative, providing critical support to at-risk communities with ground-based and satellite-based EWS. In 2024, ICIMOD will further foster knowledge exchange, build capacity, conduct research, and promote regional cooperation through discussions on the platform. As a result, ICIMOD aims to strengthen the region’s disaster preparedness and resilience, contribute to a safer and more secure future for communities and ecosystems in the face of evolving climate risks.
The event will bring together diverse experts from the HKH region and beyond to discuss 4 pillars of the initiative (Pillar 1: Disaster risk knowledge; Pillar 2: Detection, observations, monitoring, analysis and forecasting of hazards; Pillar 3: Warning dissemination and communication; Pillar 4: Preparedness to respond), including sustainability mechanisms. Sessions will explore crucial aspects of EWS and DRR in the unique context of the HKH region, focusing on regional challenges, innovative approaches, and community involvement.
Share
