Prioritising research for sustainable development: Building a greener, inclusive, and resilient South Asia

Organisers: ICIMOD, HI-REAP and IDRC

About the event

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) through the Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are co-organising a regional science-policy dialogue on ‘Prioritising research for sustainable development: Building a greener, inclusive, and resilient South Asia. This regional science-policy dialogue will build on IDRC’s impact assessment of research investments in South Asia, incorporating insights from ICIMOD’s Himalayan Water, Ice, Society and Ecosystem (HI-WISE) report and other recent studies such as insights from the World Bank’s Striving for Clean Air report. The IDRC-supported research presented at the dialogue has benefited from the collaboration of various partners over the years.

It aims to enhance regional partnerships, align research priorities with policy needs, and lay the foundation for future research investments in innovative solutions to address challenges of climate vulnerabilities, economies, and health systems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.

 This regional dialogue is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the United Kingdom International Development through its Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) initiative.

Objectives

The regional science-policy dialogue aims to:

• share and discuss key findings from IDRC’s research investments in South Asia, ICIMOD’s (HI-WISE) report and the World Bank’s Striving for Clean Air report on sustainable development and climate resilience.
• identify critical regional issues and challenges, including gaps in science, and policy
• highlight priority research and share policies and practices with the regional member countries to effectively address region’s challenges.
• explore avenues for collaborative research investments and strategic partnerships to drive impactful, and sustainable solutions.

Expected outcomes

• Policy-focused research priorities for resilient and sustainable solutions to emerging challenges.
• Strategic engagements and potential partnerships for collaborative research studies and joint publications.
• New knowledge and insights toward strengthening science-policy interface for collective and urgent policy actions.

Background

South Asia is projected to achieve 6.2% growth from 2025 to 2026, becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing regions. Unlocking South Asia’s untapped potential is vital to boosting productivity, employment, and climate resilience.  At the heart of the region lies the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) – sometimes referred to as the “Water Tower of Asia.” The region is home to one of the world’s largest agricultural areas, providing food for nearly a quarter of the global population. However, the region faces substantial impacts and risks from climate change, rapid socio-economic shifts, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation.

In the last decade alone, melting of the glaciers in the HKH has surged by 65%, threatening water, food, and energy security across South Asia. Additionally, nine of the world’s 10 most polluted cities are in South Asia, contributing to two million premature deaths annually and imposing heavy economic burdens. The impacts of these crises often transcend national boundaries, disrupting infrastructure, livelihoods, ecosystems, and economies, affecting billions downstream. Addressing these challenges requires evidence-based policies, informed decision-making, and regional cooperation for effective concerted actions.