First meeting of the Advisory Working Group on Hindu Kush Himalaya Cryosphere (AWG-Cryosphere)

Background

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), often referred to as the “Water Tower of Asia,” holds the world’s largest reserves of mountain cryosphere outside the polar regions. Its rich biodiversity, water systems, and cultural heritage support the lives and livelihoods of more than two billion people across the mountains and downstream river basins in Asia.

However, the region is facing an accelerated climate crisis. Warming in the HKH has outpaced the global average over the past five decades. Even under a 1.5°C global warming scenario, HKH temperatures are projected to rise by up to 1.8°C ⁱ. This warming is driving rapid changes in the cryosphere — ice, snow, and permafrost — with glaciers retreating faster than ever in the previous decades, permafrost degrading, and the frequency of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) increasing ⁱⁱ. These changes pose direct threats to water security, energy systems, food production, infrastructure, and regional stability.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), as the regional knowledge hub and facilitator of cooperation among its eight Regional Member Countries (RMC) — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan — plays a pivotal role in addressing these shared challenges.

In response to growing concerns, the 2nd HKH Science-Policy Forum on Climate and Cryosphere Crisis held in September 2023 brought together 130 regional and global experts. The Forum recommended the formation of an Advisory Working Group on Cryosphere (AWG-Cryosphere) to strengthen science-policy linkages and guide collective action.

Purpose of the Meeting

The inaugural meeting of the AWG-Cryosphere will take place on 28–29 August 2025 at the ICIMOD Headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The meeting aims to:

• Discuss regional priorities and identify gaps in cryosphere science, policy, and practice.
• Review emerging global scientific and technological advancements relevant to the HKH cryosphere.
• Guide the generation of actionable research and policy-relevant solutions to address the risks and cascading impacts of cryosphere change in the region.

This meeting marks a critical step in fostering collaborative, evidence-based responses to one of the most urgent environmental challenges facing the HKH region today. The following outputs will collectively form a foundation for sustained regional cooperation and evidence-informed decision-making in the HKH region.

Anticipated Results

1. Regional Priorities and Gaps Identified: A consolidated HKH Cryosphere Priorities and Gaps Matrix, highlighting key needs, challenges, and gaps across science, policy, and practice in each of the eight Regional Member Countries. This will serve as a baseline for coordinated regional planning and future investment.
2. Knowledge Brief on Global Innovations: A knowledge brief on emerging global innovations in Cryosphere Science and Technology, summarising key global advancements (e.g., remote sensing, early warning systems, modelling tools, data platforms) and their applicability to the HKH context.
3. Research and Policy Action Roadmap: A draft HKH Cryosphere Research and Policy Action Roadmap (2025–2028), outlining priority research questions, collaborative mechanisms, and policy engagement strategies to generate evidence-based, actionable solutions tailored to regional risks and cascading impacts.

ⁱ Shrestha et al (1999); Cruz et al (2007); Liu & Chen (2000).

ⁱⁱ IPCC (2021); Ren et al. (2017).