About the meet

Building on the momentum of the first Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) parliamentarians’ meet, which endorsed an urgent call to action through regional cooperation, the second HKH parliamentarians’ meet aims to deepen regional collaboration, strengthen political commitment, and institutionalise a platform for sustained parliamentary engagement on climate action, resilience, and inclusive development to address the differential impact on the mountain regions of the HKH region.

This meet is being organised by the Parliament of Bhutan, the Royal Government of Bhutan with support from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) through its Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) and Adaptation at Altitude Programme.

Objectives

The meet aims to:

• share and discuss the latest scientific evidence on climate change and its implications for people, ecosystems, and economies of the HKH region
• exchange parliamentary experiences, policy innovations, and legislative good practices related to climate change adaptation
• set out priority actions and way forward to strengthen oversight of inclusive national adaptation planning development and implementation processes
• promote stronger policy attention and investment for mountain-specific adaptation priorities and
• formalise the HKH parliamentarians’ forum for sustained parliamentary engagement, solidarity, and collective action toward a resilient and sustainable HKH

Background

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region is one of the world’s most significant mountain systems, extending across eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Home to the world’s highest peaks, extensive glacier systems, and extraordinary biological and cultural diversity, the HKH is often referred to as the “Water Tower of Asia.” Its river systems sustain nearly a quarter of the global population (1.9 billion) and provide essential ecosystem services that underpin water security, food production, energy generation, biodiversity conservation, and regional economies. Nearly 270 million mountain people depend directly on these fragile ecosystems for their livelihoods and well-being, while billions downstream rely on freshwater and other resources originating in the mountains.

The HKH region is increasingly experiencing severe and interconnected impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Rising temperatures, erratic precipitation patterns, glacier retreat, permafrost thaw, and declining snow persistence are intensifying climate-induced hazards, including floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, debris flows, droughts, and ecosystem degradation. These cascading risks threaten lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, and economies across mountains and downstream areas, often transcending national boundaries. The socio-ecological fragility of the HKH – characterised by rugged terrain, limited infrastructure, high exposure to hazards, and widespread poverty and inequality – further compounds vulnerability and reduces adaptive capacity.

Climate change in the HKH is not only an environmental challenge but also a growing concern for mountain development, governance, health, and environmental security. Increasing risks to water availability, food systems, biodiversity, migration, and social stability are placing additional pressure on already vulnerable communities, particularly women, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), youth, and marginalised groups. While many local adaptation initiatives demonstrate promising practices and resilience, regional and global assessments, including those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), conclude that adaptation efforts remain inadequate relative to the scale and pace of climate impacts on mountain biomes. Stronger collaboration, inclusive decision-making, and sustained investment are urgently needed to scale effective adaptation and resilience-building efforts in the region.

A landmark decision to mainstream adaptation globally was achieved in the Paris Agreement in 2015. Article VII of the agreement established the global goal on adaptation to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change. The need for urgent actions on adaptation was highlighted and emphasised engagement in national adaptation planning through formulating and implementing the National Adaptation Plan (NAP). The parliamentarians of the HKH have ratified the Paris Agreement and are the custodians of the agreement nationally.