Regional Programmes

At a glance

Programme goal

Enhanced resilience of the HKH to ensure that our mountains and river systems continue to sustain millions of people living downstream

Programme locations
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Story competition
Arun Bhakta Shrestha

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Programme Manager

Our focus

Healthy rivers, mountains, and glaciers

Increasingly skewed and rapid development, along with climate change, has raised challenges in meeting water, food, and energy demands in the HKH region. Protecting our rivers, mountains, and glaciers is crucial to our securing our future.

The HKH is aptly called the water tower of Asia because it is the source of 10 major Asian rivers. It is also known as the Third Pole as it stores the greatest volume of snow cover, glaciers, and permafrost outside the polar regions. It is indispensable to livelihoods, development, and sustenance of approximately 1.9 billion people – approximately a quarter of the world’s population – living downstream.

The River Basins and Cryosphere regional programme aims to understand and protect our mountain systems and the services they provide. We adopt an integrated approach that transcends scale, borders, methods, and disciplines. We help communities manage water resources and disaster risks, prioritize the sustainable use of water and land resources to enhance livelihoods, and understand the role of the cryosphere contributions. We seek to secure the source of water in order to safeguard our future.

 

STORY COMPETITION

Stories of climate change from across the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Mountain communities are living with the impacts of steady glacier retreat, changing and uncertain snowfall patterns, and increased incidences of cryosphere-related hazards. These changes have direct impacts on the lives and livelihood of mountain communities.

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AREAS OF WORK

Geographic coverage of our current work areas in the region

10
Rivers basins, 7 transboundary
1.9 Billion
People in the river basins
500 GW
Hydropower potential in the HKH river basins
2.8
Trillion cubic metres water (8% of global water) flows to the ocean from HKH river basins every year

What’s happening with water and climate in the Hindu Kush Himalaya?

With accelerated impacts of climate change being felt in the mountain systems of the HKH, the effect of water and climate is also being felt on communities. We are working with communities and governments to deliver and pilot actionable solutions that can provide adaption options to some of these impacts.

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Asia's vital rivers

Did you know that the HKH stores more snow and ice than anywhere on Earth besides the poles? Water from these glaciated and snow pack regions is used by communities in their everyday water needs. ICIMOD is working to contribute to a better understanding on this dependence.

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Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (Glofs)

Initiatives

Strategic areas of focus

River Basins and Cryosphere has identified particular river basins of the HKH, along with a focus on the cryosphere, to raise awareness on the dynamic interplay between climate change and its impacts on the rivers and landscapes of the region.

cryosphere
Cryosphere
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chitral alex indus basin
Indus Basin Initiative
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koshi basin initiative
Koshi Basin Initiative
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swarma
Strengthening Water Resources Management in Afghanistan (SWaRMA)
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Hi risk India
A regional platform for water and disaster risks (HI-RISK)
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Himaldoc

Publications

Cryosphere monitoring approach modelling
Cryosphere
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The Hunza River in front of the Passu cones
Indus basin intiative
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About-Koshi-Basin-Initiative
Koshi Basin Initiative
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Swarma Publication
Strengthening Water Resources Management in Afghanistan (SWaRMA)
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Takarding Glacier calving into Tsho Rolpa glacial lake
Other relevant publications
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RBC SPECIAL PROJECTS

Integrated River Basins Management

We’re joining hands with the Australian Water Partnership (AWP), International Water Centre (IWC), and Griffith University to help facilitate best practices in Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) across different river basins in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH).

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Clusters

Datasets and science application

Koshi Basin Information System
Koshi Basin Information System
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HKH Climate and Hydrology Visualization and Access Portal (HI−CHAP)
HKH Climate and Hydrology Visualization and Access Portal (HI−CHAP)
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Regional Flood Information System
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HKH Cryohub
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COLLABORATING ACROSS DISCIPLINES

Strengthening regional cooperation

Strengthening Regional Cooperation Across Transboundary River Basins and Landscapes in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

annual dialogue on kdkh
Annual dialogue on Koshi Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Hub, December 15-18, 2020
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Bridging Boundaries: Strengthening Regional Cooperation Across Transboundary River Basins
Bridging Boundaries: Strengthening Regional Cooperation across Transboundary River Basins and Landscapes in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, November 15–16, 2018
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Koshi Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Hub (KDKH) Nepal Country Consultation: Building a resilient Koshi basin, September 23-24, 2019
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International Forum on the Cryosphere and Society
International Forum on the Cryosphere and Society, August 28-30, 2019
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Fourth Indus Basin Knowledge Forum
Fourth Indus Basin Knowledge Forum: Pathways to impactful research, August 23-24, 2019
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Inception Workshop Koshi Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Knowledge Hub, December 11-12, 2018
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Success stories

Our lasting impact

Read about how our approach to the sustainable management of water resources in the HKH region is helping create meaningful impact.

Leveraging collective power through networks and platforms
Leveraging collective power through networks and platforms
Capacity building in using open-source software
Capacity building in using open-source software
Participatory watershed management in eastern Nepal
Participatory watershed management in eastern Nepal
Freshwater ecosystem assessment handbook
Freshwater ecosystem assessment handbook

News and features

Around the HKH

Water

For mountains and people

Water is a vital resource for communities that call the HKH their home. But it also has impacts in the form of hazards and affects communities yearly through disasters like floods. See how ICIMOD is working to address this.

spring 1366x681

Spring and Solar Pumps

People in the Hindu Kush Himalaya face economic and institutional water scarcity in areas where water is plentiful, but inaccessible. The inaccessibility is caused by a lack of rural electrification or irrigation infrastructure in the plains and because springs are increasingly drying up in the Himalayan mid-hills.

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Community Based Flood Early Warning System

Community Based Flood Early Warning System

CBFEWS is an integrated system of tools and plans managed by and for communities, providing real-time flood warnings to reduce flood risks.

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Events around the HKH

Our involvement

icimod team
Meet the team
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River Basins and Cryosphere partners
Partners and supports
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in the news

Media coverage

We collaborate with partner agencies across the HKH to foster regional cooperation, compile and harmonize datasets, share innovative solutions, and direct global attention to the region. Learn more about our work and their impacts.

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Photograph #1

A street performer around Bath Abbey.

Photograph #2

A street performer around Bath Abbey.

Photograph #3

A street performer around Bath Abbey.

Photograph #4

A street performer around Bath Abbey.

Regional Programmes

Knowledge into action

Our programmes are oriented towards integrating knowledge and turning research into action.

Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks
Mountain Knowledge and Action Networks
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Mountain Environment Regional Information System
Mountain Environment Regional Information System
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Atmosphere
Atmosphere
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River Basins and Cryosphere
River Basins and Cryosphere
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Transboundary Landscapes
Transboundary Landscapes
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Adaptation and Resilience Building
Adaptation and Resilience Building
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