The CCAPS conference is a series of events held annually by Himalayan Adaptation, Water and Resilience (HI-AWARE) Research on Glacier and Snowpack Dependent River Basins for Improving Livelihoods. HI-AWARE is one of the four consortia supported by the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), which is jointly funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

The conference aims to build a platform for adaptation and resilience research in the region and creates synergies with actions currently conducted or proposed by other actors. It facilitates exchange of knowledge and ideas on science, policy, and good practices related to climate change adaptation in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, especially in the Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra River Basins.

The first, second, and third CCAPS conferences were held in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2015; Delhi, India in 2016, and Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2017 respectively.

While working to conduct high caliber, peer-reviewed, and cogenerated research, HI-AWARE aims to ensure that results are widely shared, in multiple formats among a range of audiences. It does so through proactive and ongoing outreach and a commitment to open access publication.

By establishing new collaborative networks, the programme is strengthening adaptation and resilience building expertise among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Exchanges among experts in hotspot countries, and opportunities for early career scholars are helping to prepare the next generation of researchers. This new capacity will ultimately enhance the resilience of highly vulnerable populations in hotspots.

Interaction with research users is integral to design and vision of HI-AWARE and CARIAA. Members of the research consortia continuously engage with communities, practitioners, and policymakers to ensure that stakeholders’ views are taken into account and that results inform action at many scales.