Strengthening the Bam-e-Dunya Network structure, strategy, and governance mechanisms

About the event

The Hindu Kush Karakoram Pamir Landscape (HKPL) Initiative is organizing this consultative workshop with stakeholders to strengthen the Bam-e-Dunya Network (BDN), its governance structure, processes, and mechanisms. It is aimed at institutionalizing and sustaining the BDN as a platform for continuous knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement in the transboundary landscape.

Objectives

Engage and consult with stakeholders to determine the most appropriate structure, governance processes, and mechanisms that will enable BDN to sustain itself as a platform for addressing transboundary knowledge gaps, issues, and solutions.

Expected outcomes

• Agreement on BDN regional structure and strategic direction
• Shared understanding of governance processes, roles, and mechanisms
• Discussion and consensus on ways and means to ensure sustainability of BDN
• Discussion and agreement on options for country chapters

Background

The Hindu Kush Karakoram Pamir Landscape – covering the vast mountainous landscape at the junction of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and Tajikistan – is home to diverse ecosystems and cultures. The health of these ecosystems is vital to sustain long term ecological, social, and economic benefits to communities living in the mountains and downstream. Climatic and anthropogenic changes at landscape level are leading to habitat fragmentation, loss of biodiversity, and the erosion of indigenous cultures. There are limited capacities, transboundary exchanges, and joint monitoring and decision-making mechanisms to address issues of socio-ecological resilience at scale.

The Bam-e-Dunya Network was formed in 2018 to fill the existing knowledge and exchange gaps on transboundary issues and solutions in the HKPL. ICIMOD and several partners signed a declaration in Lanzhou, China that agreed to strengthen the network and help enhance knowledge exchange and experience sharing on the socioecological and environmental challenges in the region.

The formation of the network was endorsed by the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN), Pakistan, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), World Commission on Protected  Areas (WCPA), University of Central Asia, Wageningen University, Lanzhou University, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (XIEG, CAS), Kashi University, Rivers without Boundaries, governments of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and ICIMOD. Based on the declaration in 2018, ICIMOD facilitated further discussions with stakeholders on strengthening BDN’s governance structure and process. The proposed structure was to be endorsed in 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic hampered further consultations and actions.

Agenda

Day 1 – 31 May 2022
Moderator: TBC

Day 2 – 1 June 2022