Strengthening GIREE Alliance to support green, inclusive, and resilient entrepreneurship ecosystem in Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) 

About the writeshop

The Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) under the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is hosting a two-day writeshop with representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan to formalise the process of forming the Green Inclusive Resilient Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (GIREE) Alliance.

The goal of the GIREE Alliance is to improve the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region by focusing on mountain communities, particularly youth and women, and leveraging the potential of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) that benefit the mountain region and people. This alliance establishment includes establishing its mandate, structure, and each member’s roles and responsibilities.

Objectives

The primary goal of the writeshop is to establish the alliance, develop its structure, define clear roles and responsibilities of each member, and establish operational guidelines. The specific objective is to establish an agreed-upon alliance that outlines the collective vision and mission, its long, medium, and short-term objectives, along with a comprehensive five-year action plan.

Expected outcomes

By the end of the writeshop, we anticipate achieving the following outcomes:

• Formalisation of the alliance, providing a solid foundation for collaborative efforts.
• Defined roles and responsibilities for each member, fostering accountability and effective teamwork to pave the way for establishing operational guidelines and mechanisms.
• Strategic development with a unified vision, mission, and objectives, guiding the alliance’s long-term direction.
• Comprehensive action plan for the next five years, outlining specific goals and strategies for implementation.
• Drafted and signed the document of alliance formation, solidifying commitments, and partnerships among alliance members.

Background

ICIMOD through its intervention in leveraging investment in the region aims to attract public–private finance to address climate and environmental concerns in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and help regional member countries reach national and international green, resilient, and GESI-responsive mountain development targets. This involves investment collaborations and knowledge generation and advocacy, within the region and beyond. To enable mountain communities to fulfill sustainability goals in 2030 and beyond, the region needs focused investments in solutions and policy at scale due to significant climate vulnerability and biodiversity loss. We aim to connect mountain region needs with investors and financial needs for scalable projects with demonstrable impacts.

HI-REAP, supported by the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under its Climate Action for Resilient Asia (CARA) initiative, is working to promote NbS for socio-ecological resilience, low-carbon economies, and improved air quality in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, and building on knowledge and learning from China. The programme aims to ensure communities are better prepared to cope with shocks and more able to adapt to change. HI-REAP also strives to mobilise climate finance to accelerate meeting urgent adaptation needs, and to strengthen regional cooperation by supporting policymakers and communities to prepare and adapt.

Considering the importance of entrepreneurial ecosystem for the development and growth of green, inclusive and resilient enterprises, efforts are being made by public and private sectors including incubators and accelerators in the region to drive sustainable development and resilience in the unique landscape of the HKH. Embracing the global momentum towards socially responsible entrepreneurship, like-minded institutions are working towards the GIREE Alliance formation. Despite the complexities, the alliance will attempt to create an enabling environment for impact-driven ventures, grounded in cross-border cooperation and tailored interventions, aiming to foster unity and resilience in entrepreneurial development across the mountain communities.