Back to news
3 Dec 2015 | News

Policymakers Instrumental in Mitigating Pollution and Climate Change in the HKH Region

2 mins Read

70% Complete

Experts from the HKH region discussed efforts to integrate air pollution and climate change mitigation activities in Asia during a side event organised by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan at the ongoing UNFCCC COP21 Climate Change Conference in Paris.

The 3 December event ‘Making an Integrated Approach to Air Pollution and Climate Change a Reality in Asia’ took place at the Japan Pavilion, and included experts from Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), IGES, and Ministry of Environment, Bangladesh.

Many climate change actions reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) (such as carbon dioxide (CO2)) and curb air pollution. Mitigating some air pollutants, known as short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), can also help limit near-term climate change. The growing awareness of air-climate linkages underlines the need for policymakers to take more integrated approaches to climate change and air pollution policies. The benefits of doing so promise to be particularly significant in Asia.

The side event highlighted the activities of initiatives such as Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) that aims to equip policymakers with the knowledge and skills to make integrated approaches to climate change and air pollution a reality in Asia.

Dr Eklabya Sharma, Director of Programme Operations, ICIMOD
(Photo credit: Udayan Mishra/ICIMOD)

Speaking at the panel, Dr Eklabya Sharma, Director of Programme Operations at ICIMOD, highlighted major issues and their far reaching consequences such as melting of cryosphere partly caused by black carbon deposition, changing monsoon patterns impacting agriculture, increasing urban air pollution impacting health, regional haze over the Indo-Gangetic Plain impacting people’s lives and tourism in winter. His presentation also touched upon the summary of research that ICIMOD is conducting to understand the linkages between air quality and climate change in Asia, and how that research is envisaged to promote action on the ground.

Sharma also highlighted ICIMOD’s efforts in establishing observatories in Bhutan and Nepal — including networking with China and India — for better transboundary monitoring of air pollutants, including black carbon.

‘The science evidence generated through long term monitoring shall help in policy formulation in the region’, Sharma said.

Participating partners have agreed to work cohesively in the region and in close cooperation with CCAC. Martina Otto from CCAC said action on SLCPs can feed into clean air and climate policies, which also contributes to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr Eric Zusman from IGES said the coalition would further awareness in all sections of the society.

ICIMOD’s delegation is at the COP21, Paris organising and attending various activities. For complete list of events, please visit our dedicated webpage for the COP21: www.icimod.org/cop21 

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related contents

Continue exploring this topic

Kangchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KLCDI) Pilot Implementation Phase Underway

The G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development, (GBPNIHESD), the Indian nodal organisation with support from ...

Reducing Pollution from Motorcycles

The air in Kathmandu is extremely polluted, with fine particles (PM2.5) being the major cause of concern.  If you ask ...

25 May 2016 News
Developing Nepal’s Hydropower Potential

Significant contributions in drafting and presenting ‘Hydropower Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines (HP-EIA) of Nepal’ to the Government of Nepal (GoN) ...

17 Nov 2015 News
ICIMOD Hosts REDD+ Himalaya Workshop

  The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) under its regional REDD+ Himalaya initiative supported by the German Federal Ministry ...

27 Feb 2016 News
Indus Basin Conference Builds Understanding of Current Research

Eighty-plus policy maker and journalist participants from Afghanistan China, India and Pakistan, were present as Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan, ...

Building air quality monitoring skills within the HKH to ensure reliable data generation

ICIMOD’s Atmosphere Initiative together with government counterparts (the Department of Environment in Nepal and the National Environment Commission in Bhutan) ...

11 Dec 2015 News
Linking to Markets Key to Livelihoods

Consultation meetings on Agriculture Marketing Policy (AMP) of Bhutan in Gelephu for Central Bhutan were completed on October 16, 2015 ...

30 Sep 2016 News
Training Offers Experiential look into Innovative Livelihoods

An arc of rainbow, light drizzle, heavy showers, lush vegetation, clean streams, waterfalls, shining mountain ranges, misty mornings, leeches, and ...