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Background
Despite decades of research on mountain development and the cryosphere, knowledge building and its applications have often followed independent, if parallel, tracks. It has become increasingly apparent that an alternative framework may be needed that acknowledges the plurality, interactivity, intersectionality, and co-production in the cryosphere and of the communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
Accordingly, ICIMOD and its partners: Kathmandu University, and the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences are organizing an international forum on the relationship between the cryosphere and society, a first-of-its-kind platform focusing on the emerging area of cryosphere contributions. While the concept of cryosphere contributions is a comparatively new lens through which to view the cryosphere and its intersection with humanity, this forum will explore its relevance in the HKH region and potential for building a bridge between science and society.
This forum seeks to bring together regional and international experts and stakeholders to discuss the latest research in this rapidly evolving field, clarifying and developing the “Voice of the HKH”.
Rationale
In this forum, we intend to build on the key findings and recommendations of the Cryosphere Chapter of the 2019 Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment, addressing how they are related to the cryosphere’s contributions and their sustainability in the HKH region. Consequently, we aim to establish a better understanding of the framework of cryosphere services that provide a link between the cryosphere and people in the high mountain communities and downstream. We invite key scientists from the region, the international scientific community, different user groups and decision makers to come together and establish a dialogue about the cryosphere and its role.
This international forum will facilitate discussions on the emerging and evolving topic of cryosphere contributions, what it means in the HKH context, what research is developing in the space, and pathways towards increasing the resilience of HKH communities.
Objectives
The high mountain environment: A shared heritage
This session will focus on:
The cryosphere’s contributions to society and the environment
The objectives of this session include:
Cryospheric hazards and their impacts
Decision making and transformative strategies in the high mountains
The Forum’s cross-cutting issues include gender and social inclusion, governance and scale in terms of impact, and geographical extent or magnitude.
Recipients of travel grants to the Cryosphere and Society Forum are expected to share their research through a poster presentation.
Poster size: 3 x 4 ft (portrait) or 4 x 3 ft (landscape)
Image resolution: at least 300dpi
Final submission date: Wednesday, 31 July 2019 (by the end of the day)
Ensure that you adhere to the instructions regarding the content, as indicated in the template
ICIMOD will oversee the printing of the posters.
Downloads
Kathmandu University (KU) is an autonomous, not-for-profit, non-governmental institution dedicated to maintaining high standards of academic excellence in Nepal. KU houses seven schools in different disciplines and has introduced various academic programmes in Nepal, in line with its vision to become a world-class university devoted to enhancing knowledge and developing technology.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. ICIMOD aims to help mountain people understand climate-induced changes, adapt to them, and make the most of new opportunities, while addressing upstream–downstream issues. The Centre supports regional transboundary programmes through partnerships with regional partner institutions, facilitates the exchange of experience, and serves as a regional knowledge hub.
The State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences (SKLC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is a research entity that focuses on the cryospheric and climatic changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The SKLC conducts research on modern snow and ice process, ice cores, and changes in mountainous glaciers and ice sheets, studying their impacts on water resource and environments in Antarctica and the Arctic and fostering science-based decision making for social and economic development in West China.
Donors
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Contact
Sam Inglis cryoforum@icimod.org
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