Inter-Polar dialogue on People, Glaciers, and Climate

Time: 11:00-12:30 (CET)

About the event

Glaciers in the Himalaya and the Polar regions are melting faster than ever. Their rapid changes are reshaping water availability, ecosystems, and communities.

This side event brings together experts in cryosphere science, indigenous knowledge and policymakers to discuss latest research findings and explore different forms of knowledge to connect science to action and encourage more research into use.

Discussions will highlight solutions, inter-polar collaboration, education, and capacity building to support glacier preservation, disaster risk reduction, and climate resilience across high-mountain and polar regions.

Organisers and co-organisers

• Arctic Centre, University of Lapland; UArctic Chair in Arctic Legal Research and Education, in collaboration with Polar Educators International (PEI)
• Asian Indigenous International Network
• Asian Mountain Academic Alliance (AMAA)
• Centre of Excellence for Glacial Studies in the Western Himalaya, University of Kashmir
• Chinese Committee on ICIMOD (CNICIMOD)
• Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
• IYGP Task Force – 2
• Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI), Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF)
• Polar Hub
• Thule Institute, University of Oulu

Agenda

Opening session (5 minutes)

Session moderator: ICIMOD

• Welcome remarks
• Highlights from Task Force 2 (TF2)
• Overview of the session agenda

Setting the context (15 minutes)

• Opening teaser video prepared by TF2 (3 minutes)
• Keynote presentations
• Prof. Kamrul Hossain, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland (5 minutes)
• Linking the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and the Arctic
• Integrating physical science, social science, and Indigenous knowledge perspectives
• Addressing glacier-related hazards, risks, resilience, and adaptation
• Yao Tandong (5 minutes)
• Perspectives on glacier research and environmental change across high mountain regions

Panel discussion (35 minutes)

Moderator: Jiaojiao Hu, Director, Polar Hub China

Panellists

• Phoolman Chaudhary, Asian Indigenous International Network
• Anna-Maria Walter, Asian Mountain Academic Alliance (AMAA)
• Yao Tandong, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Ramcharan Vijayaraghavan, Polar Educators International
• Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Centre of Excellence for Glacial Studies in the Western Himalaya, University of Kashmir

Questions and discussion (20 minutes)

Interactive discussion with participants.

Closing (15 minutes)

• Moving from Year to Decade: Anil Mishra, UNESCO (10 minutes)

Summary of key action points and vote of thanks by ICIMOD

Target audience

• Academics and researchers
• Policy makers and government representatives
• International organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Students and young professionals
• Media and science communicators