Third Hindu Kush-Himalaya Science-Policy-Finance Dialogue

About the event

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Royal Government of Bhutan, will convene the third Hindu Kush Himalaya Science-Policy-Finance Dialogue (SPFD) under the theme “From Risk to Resilience: Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Green, Resilient and Inclusive HKH region” in Thimphu, Bhutan, on 25–27 November 2025. This regional dialogue aims to strengthen shared understanding, foster regional collaboration, and inform policy making and investment in NbS for the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

This dialogue is funded by the United Kingdom International Development through ICIMOD’s Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) and the Swedish Development Cooperation (SDC).

Background

The Hindu Kush Himalaya cryosphere is warming at nearly twice the global average, with glacier melting 65% faster compared to the last decade. Projections suggest a temperature rise of 1–2°C between 2021 and 2050, relative to the 1961–1990 period. This has profound consequences for water, food, and energy security in the region. Disasters with transboundary and multi-hazard risks and impacts are increasing with more uncertainty about their trigger, agro-pastoral resources are rapidly depleting, and springs are drying up at an unprecedented rate, resulting in a broad range of societal challenges for both mountain communities and populations downstream. Biodiversity, which is the foundation of sustainable development, is degrading faster than ever before, posing serious threats to the HKH region, its people, and its development.

In response to these challenges, NbS are gaining prominence as integrated, cost-effective, and comparatively sustainable approaches to address water management challenges, enhance ecosystem services, support community livelihoods, and reduce disaster risks enhancing resilience of communities and infrastructure.

In the HKH, countries are increasingly implementing NbS to address these interconnected challenges and promote sustainable development. Among these, community – and institution-led management and restoration of forests and watersheds are the most widely adopted approaches.

While NbS offer multiple co-benefits, critical gaps remain in knowledge, policy integration, and practice. There is limited guidance on identifying the most effective NbS options and typologies suited to the diverse ecological and socio-economic contexts of the HKH. Similarly, existing analytical frameworks for assessing the effectiveness and impact of NbS remain fragmented and are not yet well integrated into local policy frameworks, socio-economic transition pathways, and spatial planning processes.

Hence, this regional dialogue will serve as platform for policymakers, scientists, financial institutions, practitioners, and community representatives to catalyse cross-sectoral collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and advance investment and policy mechanisms that support the scaling of nature-based solutions in the HKH region. This SFPD will serve as a regional dialogue platform to bridge science, policy, and finance gaps, identify priority pathways for scaling NbS, and strengthen science-policy-finance interfaces in advancing water security, disaster risk reduction and resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods across the HKH region.

Objectives:

This third HKH Science-Policy-Finance Forum (SPFF) aims to:

• Facilitate an informed dialogue on science-policy-finance interfaces to build a common understanding of NbS and promote the mainstreaming and upscaling of NbS across the HKH region.
• Showcase best practices, innovations, and evidence on NbS for resilience through water security, sustainable livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction.
• Explore enabling financial mechanisms and policy instruments for wider adoption of nature-based solutions and approaches, including climate and development finance.
• Build regional cooperation and partnerships across HKH countries to support green, inclusive and resilient development pathways.

Participants:

Some 50-60 scientists/researchers, experts (including professionals, practitioners, and managers), and policymakers from within and outside the HKH region.

Expected Outputs:

• Improved understanding of the existing NbS science, policies, and investment frameworks, and critical gaps in knowledge, policy, and finance.
• Shared experiences and lessons on the effectiveness of NbS in managing mountain disasters, water, food, energy, and ecosystem risks.
• An agreed roadmap with clear pathways, evidence-based recommendations and actions to inform policy and investment decisions for integrating NbS into national planning processes and regional frameworks.
• New or reinforced regional partnerships and networks to support collaborative implementation of NbS.