Reflections on 2024: milestones achieved at ICIMOD

Advancing cryosphere conservation and gender equity

One of the highlights was our ‘Save Our Snow’ campaign, a rallying cry to protect the fragile cryosphere – a vital resource sustaining millions of lives in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. This campaign, led by ICIMOD’s communications unit, raised awareness about snow and ice loss while inspiring local, regional, and global actions. ‘Save Our Snow’ highlighted the critical role of the cryosphere in regulating water resources, supporting biodiversity, and maintaining livelihoods.

Another initiative close to my heart was the ‘Women on Ice’ programme, which showcased the incredible contributions of women researchers and practitioners in glaciology and climate science. This initiative brought a historic all-women cryosphere fieldwork team to the Ponkar Glacier, inspiring a movement to bridge the gender gap in science, and highlight the cryosphere’s human connection. The nine young women representing Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan braved the challenging trek to the glacier, breaking barriers in a field traditionally dominated by men. They are now role models for the next generation of women scientists, inspiring more women across the HKH to become catalysts for change and advocate for sustainable mountain development. Their stories resonate as a powerful call to action for addressing the region’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Global advocacy

COP29

At the UN global climate change conference, COP29, we amplified the voices of mountain communities, presenting evidence-based strategies and fostering partnerships to secure commitments for sustainable mountain development. I was particularly inspired by the “Youth Action for the Future of the World” event at COP29’s China Pavilion, where young representatives, scholars, and policymakers demonstrated their resilience and vision. Their unstoppable energy is a reminder that today’s youth are not just future leaders but changemakers of the present. ICIMOD’s communications unit played a pivotal role in amplifying these voices, ensuring widespread visibility and engagement at COP29.

A major highlight at COP was the Heads of Delegation meeting hosted by the Honourable Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, which brought together representatives from six of the eight HKH countries. This event underscored the importance of regional collaboration to address transboundary climate challenges, such as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF), air pollution, and water scarcity. There was a strong consensus among leaders for the need for coordinated action, underscoring that these challenges require collective regional effort.

Similarly, a high-profile dialogue on Loss and Damage, led by the Government of Nepal and chaired by the Honourable President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Poudel, discussed operationalising the Loss and Damage Fund by 2026 – a long-awaited but critical step. ICIMOD stressed the urgency of supporting mountain communities, whose lives and livelihoods are disproportionately affected by climate change. More on ICIMOD @ COP29.

The Polar Dialogue

As the Director General of ICIMOD, I attended the Arctic Circle Assembly’s Polar Dialogue in Reykjavík, Iceland, in my capacity as a member of the Advisory Committee, which provided an excellent platform to highlight the HKH as the “Third Pole” on the global climate map. The Polar Dialogue facilitated the exchange of insights on climate change impacts in polar and mountain regions, fostering cross-continental collaboration.

The Arctic Circle Assembly is the world’s largest annual gathering dedicated to the Arctic and global issues. Drawing over 2,000 participants, it convenes heads of state, policymakers, scientists, environmentalists, Indigenous leaders, business executives, and civil society members to discuss and address the evolving challenges and opportunities within the Arctic region.

The discussions focused on shared challenges in the polar and mountain regions, such as GLOF, erratic weather patterns, flash floods, and thawing permafrost. They underscored the urgent need for research, mitigation, adaptation, and unprecedented collaboration to address escalating risks and build resilience for vulnerable regions. More on the Polar Dialogue.

Pioneering permafrost monitoring in Bhutan

Another development that merits mention would be the Pilot Permafrost Monitoring in Bhutan. With ICIMOD’s support, Bhutan’s National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) launched its inaugural initiative to monitor permafrost. This effort aims to better understand permafrost dynamics in the Bhutan Himalaya, where global warming presents significant risks.

Permafrost thawing poses serious threats with the potential to cause massive landslides and floods given our steep topography and fragile geological features. Hence having a functional monitoring system is a must for taking preventive and preparedness measures.

Strengthening disaster risk reduction

Another groundbreaking collaboration was when disaster management experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan convened to endorse the HKH Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Hub. This voluntary platform is designed to accelerate understanding, facilitate information-sharing, and drive collective action to address mountain hazards in vulnerable zones. The establishment of the hub marks a significant advancement in fostering science-based and evidence-driven regional collaboration for disaster risk reduction across the HKH region.

At its core, this initiative aims to save lives, protect livelihoods and infrastructure, and safeguard economies in a region where rising temperatures are tragically heightening the risks of natural disasters.

PURE platform

A significant achievement in 2024 was the adoption of ICIMOD’s Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) platform by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) of the Government of Nepal. The PURE platform is an innovative decision-support application that leverages satellite imagery, field data, and advanced modelling to generate simple, user-friendly insights to promote the productive use of renewable energy.

Featured on AEPC’s official website, the PURE platform is an innovative decision-support tool that integrates satellite imagery, field data, and advanced modelling to provide user-friendly insights for promoting renewable energy applications.

The current version of the platform enables the Government of Nepal to identify market opportunities, enhance planning, mobilise resources, and implement renewable energy-powered river lift irrigation projects. By addressing critical information gaps, it has proven instrumental in improving decision-making and project execution.

Given the success, the PURE platform is now also being expanded to Bhutan. More on renewable energy for agriculture.

Transformative community projects

The GRAPE project’s transformative impact in Sadhikhola village, now being scaled up through the HI-REAP initiative, is a testament to the power of hard work, innovation, and collaboration. In Sadhikhola, Surkhet, two brothers, Chandra Bahadur GC and Tek Bahadur Gharti, transformed farming in Karnali province, Nepal. Their inspiring journey from labourers to transformative leaders in sustainable agriculture demonstrate the transformative potential for vision and determination. Witnessing such tangible outcomes fuels my motivation and reinforces the significance of our shared mission at ICIMOD.

In 2024, we also broadened our capacity-building initiatives through the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) professional training. This training equipped stakeholders with tools to manage water resources effectively amidst a changing climate, exemplifying our dedication to enhancing climate resilience with solutions tailored to local contexts.

These stories of impact, from organic farming in Sadhikhola to Integrated River Basin management training, reflect our ongoing commitment to fostering innovation, resilience, and sustainable development across the region.

Celebrating mountain heroes

On International Mountain Day, ICIMOD honoured outstanding contributions to mountain resilience through the Dr Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize. The 2024 awardees included:

• Trachung Palzang (China): For pastoralist-led rangeland restoration on the Zoige Plateau
• Abdul Mujeeb (Pakistan): For advancing climate communication through culturally relevant media
• Pema Pradhan (Nepal): For restoring red panda habitats through active plantation and natural regeneration

These awards inspire broader participation in mountain ecosystem preservation. ICIMOD celebrates these achievements while inspiring others to contribute to preserving and restoring mountain ecosystems.

Partnerships for sustainable development

Partnerships are at the heart of ICIMOD’s mission, allowing us to tackle complex challenges in the HKH region through collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Partnerships amplify our reach, allowing us to pool resources, leverage diverse knowledge, and foster trust among stakeholders. Whether it’s tackling climate change, enhancing disaster resilience, or promoting sustainable livelihoods, our partnerships drive collective action, ensuring that the region’s people and ecosystems thrive in the face of evolving challenges.

This year, ICIMOD strengthened international collaboration through strategic agreements with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, The People’s Republic of China, Development Alternatives, India, Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperative (MoLMAC) of Karnali Province, Government of Nepal, SACEP (South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme), Sri Lanka, and various UN agencies such as FAO, WFP, UNESCO, WMO.

Looking ahead to 2025

As we turn the page to 2025, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering sustainability, equity, and resilience in the HKH region. Our focus will remain on innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based action to address the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution. Together, with renewed determination, we can drive transformative change and secure a sustainable future for the mountains and the millions who depend on them.

Pema Gyamtsho