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The Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) is an ICIMOD project working to promote Nature-based Solutions (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.
Communities in the Himalaya are frontline to climate, environmental, and other shocks: extreme weather, floods, avalanches, landslides, droughts, and increasing biodiversity loss and air pollution.
These risks are already compounding very serious existing socio-economic vulnerabilities, especially food and water insecurity and high levels of outmigration, and exacerbating gender and social inequalities.
HI-REAP is a nine-year programme, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), to transform the lives and livelihoods, and reduce exposure to risks, of millions of people in the region.
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countries
year programme (2022–2031)
million pound FCDO-funded programme
To drive change, the programme focusses on supporting locally led action in six key areas:
Scale solutions to air pollution, including harmonising regional datato improve health outcomes and reduce black carbon deposits on the cryosphere
Promote Nature-based Solutions, especially rangeland management, and bioprospecting businessesto conserve ecosystems and biodiversity
Scale nature-based management of mountain fresh-water sourcesto strengthen water security
Implement the nature-based reduction of disaster risksto protect vulnerable communities
Mobilise climate financeto accelerate meeting urgent adaptation needs
Strengthen regional cooperation by supporting policymakers and communities to prepare and adapt
The project, which runs from 2022 to 2031, exists as part of a £274 million FCDO-funded programme to reduce exposure to risks and protect the environment across the Indo-Pacific, called Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA). CARA partners include the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank (WB), Met Office, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The HI-REAP programme will be implemented in five of the eight Hindu Kush Himalayan countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal, with scope for South-South and North-South knowledge exchange and dissemination of learnings.
This policy brief highlights engagement opportunities for UNFCCC Parties and Observers to bring in transboundary climate impacts and climate change adaptation in mountain areas across relevant negotiation tracks: Global Stocktake, Global Goal on Adaptation, Finance, Planning and reporting, and Loss and Damage.
This discussion brief examines an important, emerging subject for India that warrants urgent research and policy attention: transboundary climate risks. It examines India’s current and future exposure to transboundary and cascading climate risks. It aims to synthesize the state of knowledge, using the relatively new and limited but growing evidence base for what has been termed “next generation” climate risks.
Air pollution is a global crisis, posing severe health risks and widening inequalities worldwide. At ICIMOD, we ran a two-day regional workshop (15-16 August 2024) on interlinkages between the health impacts of air pollution and inclusivity. The key messages and recommendations are based on the group discussions during the event, where the participants engaged in thorough discussions and shared their insights.
Rangelands need our attention. They are home to iconic wildlife, such as the snow leopard and wild yak, and unique highland pastoral cultures that have evolved in harsh conditions among the world’s highest mountains. This rich natural and cultural heritage is now threatened by climate and environmental change. This poster presents a business case to banks and financial institutions, relevant government officials and interested public-private sectors on why we need to invest in rangelands.
Springs play a vital role in sustaining mountain communities. This poster presents the findings from a collaborative survey conducted by Panchkhaal Municipality and ICIMOD, with the assistance of community resource persons, aimed at establishing a comprehensive database of springs in the region.
Springs play a vital role in sustaining mountain communities. This poster presents the findings from a collaborative survey conducted by Dhulikhel Municipality and ICIMOD, with the assistance of community resource persons, aimed at establishing a comprehensive database of springs in the region.
Natural springs are the main water source for more than 100 million people living in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. In Nepal, 10 million people in the mid-hills and mountains depend on them. These sources are under stress due to factors such as climate change, infrastructural development, and socioeconomic changes. To combat this trend, spring revival activities have been carried out across the Hindu Kush Himalaya in the last few years. Considering 2 study sites in Nepal, this work attempts the first benefit–cost analysis for spring revival in rural settings. First, using literature and community consultations, a cause–effect map was drafted. Second, the benefits and costs were estimated quantitatively using 4 scenarios: 2 based on the study sites and 2 on more generic situations. Positive (.1) benefit–cost ratios were found in 3 scenarios, showing that spring revival has potential but local conditions (households served, presence of other water sources, usage) are important factors to be considered.
Springs are the lifeblood of communities in Nepal. It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of the population in the hills and mountains are dependent on water from springs for drinking, household use, livestock rearing, and minor irrigation. But these springs are drying up, threatening water and food insecurity, and displacement. This poster presents a business case to banks and financial institutions, relevant government officials and interested public-private sectors on why we need to invest in springs.
Springs play a vital role in sustaining mountain communities. This poster presents the findings from a collaborative survey conducted by Roshi Rural Municipality and ICIMOD, with the assistance of community resource persons, aimed at establishing a comprehensive database of springs in the region.
Springs play a vital role in sustaining mountain communities. This poster presents the findings from a collaborative survey conducted by Bethanchowk Rural Municipality and ICIMOD, with the assistance of community resource persons, aimed at establishing a comprehensive database of springs in the region.
Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is a tool that can help measure the full extent of a country’s balance sheet of natural assets. This briefing note aims to advocate for the systematic implementation of NCA within Bhutan’s PAs to formally recognise their significant contributions to the national economy. This briefing note calls on policymakers to prioritise NCA as a strategic tool for safeguarding Bhutan’s rich natural heritage and appropriately accounting for its economic growth potential.
Springs play a vital role in sustaining mountain communities. This poster presents the findings from a collaborative survey conducted by Temal Rural Municipality and ICIMOD, with the assistance of community resource persons, aimed at establishing a comprehensive database of springs in the region.
Springs play a vital role in sustaining mountain communities. This poster presents the findings from a collaborative survey conducted by Panauti Municipality and ICIMOD, with the assistance of community resource persons, aimed at establishing a comprehensive database of springs in the region.
The Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) is a nine-year (2022-2031) ICIMOD project working to promote Nature-based Solutions (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.
Adequately addressing transboundary climate risks requires research and data collection, the sharing of information and insights, and dialogues between sectors and across scales. The roadma outlines a strategy for enhancing regional cooperation to build resilience against climate risks in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
Key points include:
Springs are a lifeline for mountain communities. This poster showcases a map resulting from a collaborative survey conducted by Namobuddha Municipality and ICIMOD to establish a springs database for Namobuddha.
Springshed management is an integrated approach to protect and maintain the hydrogeological system that sustains springs. It addresses water security in the mountains along with multiple benefits and cobenefits for biodiversity and climate change.
Reviving springs and managing springsheds – the areas of land that contribute groundwater to spring – is vital to ensure present and future water security in the HKH. At ICIMOD, we ran a four-day training course in April 2023 on spring revival and springshed management, which brought together local governments and institutions from India and Nepal. In this publication, we present key messages and recommendations from the event for future action.
David Thomas Potter
HI-REAP Coordinator (Ad-interim)
Sabina Uprety
Programme Officer
Sushmita Kunwar
Communications Officer
For more information, please contact hireap@icimod.org
The Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Government of the United Kingdom under the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme.
