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Pema Gyamtsho
30 mins Read
As 2025 ends, I find myself reflecting not only on what the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has achieved but also on what this year has meant to me personally. It has been a year of listening to mountain communities, young innovators, policymakers, and colleagues across borders. I reflect with deep gratitude, humility, and renewed resolve, mindful that this has been a year of both intense action and profound reaffirmation of why our mission matters.
At a time when the world is confronting accelerating climate risks, geopolitical uncertainty, and widening inequities, the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) has moved decisively from the margins to the centre of global conversations. This year repeatedly reminded me that the HKH is not a distant or peripheral region; it is central to our shared future. ICIMOD has carried this responsibility with science, partnerships, and purpose, working locally, regionally, and globally to ensure that mountain voices are heard and mountain realities shape global action.
The first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad, a multi-stakeholder global dialogue, in May, was held in Kathmandu under the overarching theme of ‘Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity’.
Across every conversation, one message resonated strongly: the Hindu Kush Himalaya is no longer a fringe concern. It is central to the global climate narrative. The sambaad (dialogue) brought together HKH member states, regional mountain organisations, UN agencies, civil society, academia, and the private sector, creating a rare and powerful space for collective reflection on shared challenges and opportunities for mountain regions.
What encouraged me most was the strengthened leadership of the HKH countries. Discussions at the sambaad reinforced a shared resolve to shape global processes, from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), with mountain realities firmly on the agenda. The HKH Environment Ministers’ Meeting, held alongside the sambaad, further cemented this commitment, with countries pledging to deepen regional cooperation and collaboration to address the interconnected challenges facing the HKH.
At the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 30), ICIMOD engaged actively as a UNFCCC observer to advance mountain priorities and support its Regional Member Countries (RMCs) from the HKH. ICIMOD served as a knowledge–policy bridge, providing regionally grounded scientific evidence, supporting coordinated RMCs engagements, and embedding mountain-specific considerations across adaptation, transparency, capacity building, finance, and loss and damage discussions. A key contribution was our support to RMCs during negotiations that led to the finalisation of the UAE–Belém Work Programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation, where mountain-relevant indicators were reflected in the final list of 59 indicators, including those related to finance, capacity building, and technology transfer.
ICIMOD also helped advance recognition of mountain-specific risks and adaptation needs across COP 30 thematic areas, including adaptation, climate finance, research and systematic observation, and loss and damage. Notably, ICIMOD supported and contributed to the COP 30 Presidency Consultation on Mountains and Climate Change, which resulted in a decision to convene a Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change at the June 2026 UNFCCC Climate Conference in Bonn, Germany, a significant step toward institutionalising mountain issues within the UNFCCC architecture.
Looking ahead, ICIMOD’s priority is to support post-COP30 implementation, particularly through targeted engagement at the Subsidiary Bodies, strengthened partnerships with global mountain actors, and continued support to RMCs to ensure that mountain issues remain integral to UNFCCC workstreams and outcomes.
A defining milestone of 2025 was the signing of a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding between ICIMOD and the UN Climate Change at Bonn, Germany, on the sidelines of the 62nd sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB 62) meetings. Signing this agreement with the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Simon Stiell, was a moment of both pride and promise.
This partnership allows ICIMOD to serve as a regional hub for building the capacity of climate negotiators and policymakers from the HKH. For me, it symbolised years of collective effort to ensure that mountains are recognised within the UNFCCC process, not as an afterthought, but as a priority for adaptation, finance, transparency, and loss and damage. We are taking forward the necessary coordination and logistical requirements for the formal set up of the regional hub within ICIMOD.
My participation in the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík, Iceland, reinforced my perception of how deeply mountain and polar systems are connected. Engaging with Arctic leaders, scientists, Indigenous representatives, and youth reminded me that while our geographies differ, our challenges and responsibilities are shared.
The launch of the HKH–Arctic Youth Leadership Forum was one of the most hopeful moments of the year. Watching young leaders from the HKH and the Arctic co-create solutions grounded in local and Indigenous knowledge reaffirmed my belief that the future of climate leadership must be intergenerational.
The launch of the HKH Regional Climate Action and Transparency Hub in partnership with UN Climate Change marked an important step in supporting countries to implement the Paris Agreement with greater transparency and confidence. The overall goal of the transparency hub is to contribute towards sustainable, continuous, and comprehensive capacity-building, and data and experience sharing, that allow the participating countries to support their national decision makers, investors, and stakeholders.
This was followed by the release of ICIMOD’s Climate Finance Synthesis Report – the first comprehensive regional assessment of climate finance needs, flows, and gaps in the HKH. The findings were sobering, but necessary. They strengthen our collective case for increased, better-targeted, and more innovative financing for mountain regions.
In 2025, during the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) cycle, ICIMOD actively engaged with RMC focal points by providing technical support and advocating for stronger and more visible representation of mountain issues in AR7.
These collective efforts delivered tangible results. Five ICIMOD-nominated experts were selected as Lead Authors across multiple Working Groups, and an ICIMOD expert was among the more than 60 experts selected globally for the AR7 scoping process. This engagement led to the inclusion of mountain and cryosphere issues, including a dedicated cross-chapter on mountains, within the AR7 outline, marking a significant step towards strengthening the representation of the HKH in global climate assessments.
For me, this progress reflects years of persistent engagement to move mountains from the margins to the mainstream of global climate science. It reaffirmed the value of patient institution-building and trust-based partnerships with the IPCC. This confidence is further reflected in the decision for ICIMOD to host the Third Lead Authors Meeting on Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies and methodologies in January 2027 (exact dates to be confirmed). It is a responsibility we take, both as recognition and as a commitment to contribute rigorous, regionally grounded science to global climate action.
The 7th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) marked an important moment for global environmental governance. Member States adopted 11 resolutions and three decisions aimed at strengthening climate and ecological resilience, underscoring the urgency of coordinated global action to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Of particular significance was the adoption of the resolution on the ‘Preservation of glaciers and the broader cryosphere, particularly in mountain regions’. This resolution brings global attention to the rapid loss of snow, ice, and glaciers. It recognises the far-reaching implications for mountain ecosystems and the billions of people living in mountain regions and downstream river basins who depend on them.
The adoption of this resolution held deep meaning for me. Seeing the cryosphere and mountain regions more broadly recognised at the highest global environmental forum reaffirmed the relevance of years of scientific evidence and advocacy. It reinforced my belief that global policy is beginning to catch up with mountain realities, and that ICIMOD’s role in bringing these voices and insights to international spaces has never been more important.
2025 also marked the launch of HKH Futures Forum, an informal, high-level think tank designed to help us think beyond project cycles and political timelines. The inaugural retreat in Bhutan was a rare opportunity to step back and reflect, together with former ministers, diplomats, academics, and civil society leaders, on what the HKH needs over the coming decades.
Meeting the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan and engaging with ministers, governors, and local communities brought the region’s realities into sharp focus from melting glaciers, changing permafrost, and increasing disaster risks for infrastructure, hydropower, and settlements, to biodiversity conservation and local governance. These conversations reaffirmed for me that regional cooperation is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
The HKH Parliamentarians’ Meet marked a significant step in strengthening political leadership for mountain resilience. Bringing together parliamentarians from across the HKH, the event created a rare regional platform for dialogue on climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, and shared transboundary risks.
What stood out for me was the recognition that laws, budgets, and oversight matter as much as science in shaping resilient mountain futures. Supported technically by ICIMOD, the discussions and the HKH Parliamentarians’ Urgent Call to Action reinforced the need for sustained parliamentary engagement and regional cooperation to ensure that the voices and priorities of the HKH are reflected in national policies and global climate processes.
The transition of the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) Secretariat from ICIMOD to Kathmandu University was a moment of reflection for me. After nearly two decades of hosting HUC, this handover represents growth, maturity, and trust.
Seeing a regional university take the lead in shaping future mountain scholarship aligns perfectly with our original vision for HUC. It is a significant leap forward for ICIMOD and the HUC community in strengthening research and educational capacities and mountain leadership in the HKH region.
As the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) marked its 25th anniversary, I reflected on a journey that has been about far more than research. SANDEE has been a vibrant community that nurtured generations of young scholars and strengthened environmental and development economics across South Asia. My memories of SANDEE are deeply tied to its people, its mentors, researchers, and alumni whose work continues to shape policy and practice in the region. Its contributions, particularly in advancing the understanding and valuation of biodiversity, have left a lasting imprint. As SANDEE looks ahead, its role in building knowledge, leadership, and regional collaboration will be more important than ever.
One of the most meaningful achievements for ICIMOD in 2025 has been integrating climate adaptation and migration into Nepal’s national policies. Migration has long been a vital livelihood strategy for mountain communities, helping households adapt to socio-economic and climate changes. Yet until now, both climate adaptation and migrant realities were largely absent from national and local planning.
Through the Successful Intervention Pathways for Migration as Adaptation (SUCCESS) project, ICIMOD, together with the National Institute of Development Studies (NIDS), Nepal, engaged directly in shaping the National Labour Migration Policy 2025 and the National Population Policy 2025, ensuring that climate risks and migration dynamics were recognised and addressed. Our inputs have also been incorporated into the annual plans of four local government partners, influencing programmes at the community level.
For the first time, Nepal’s policies explicitly acknowledge the linkages between climate adaptation and migration, ensuring that the lived realities of vulnerable mountain communities inform national and local government planning.
Being part of this process was deeply moving for me. Seeing science, policy, and community needs converge to create tangible change reminded me why ICIMOD’s regional engagement matters, not just in research, but in transforming lives on the ground.
In 2025, ICIMOD advanced Natural Capital Accounting (NCA), translating this technical concept of the value of ecosystem services into decision-ready data for conservation and investment. Protected areas in Bhutan and Nepal had long lacked practical tools to quantify ecosystem services economically, limiting management and financing options.
ICIMOD designed and piloted NCA at Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan, translating global SEEA–Ecosystem Accounting principles into a practical, site-level application. The pilot demonstrated the value of NCA in guiding protected area management and resource mobilisation, prompting Bhutan to commit to its first National Water Account. Building on this success, ICIMOD scaled the approach to Nepal, supporting capacity building, technical guidance, and co-development of a National Forest Account.
Witnessing a scientific approach evolve from concept to national adoption was immensely gratifying. It reaffirmed my belief that evidence, when paired with committed partnerships, can fundamentally change how we value and protect our mountains.
Manipur, India, faces a severe water crisis, with over half of its natural springs dried or drying. Rural communities, dependent on spring-fed water for drinking, irrigation, and livestock, faced chronic shortages, while women bore the brunt of water collection. Fragmented institutional responsibilities and ecological degradation had long constrained coordinated action.
In 2025, ICIMOD partnered with the Community-based Sustainable Forest Management for Water Resource Conservation in Manipur (COSFOM) project of the Forest Department, Government of Manipur, to strengthen springshed management, building capacity across government departments, village authorities, and universities. Using a six-step protocol, we facilitated interdepartmental roundtables, trained para-hydrologists in five villages, and implemented pilot recharge measures in Teinem village.
The Manipur State Roadmap for Springshed Management was approved, the state’s first comprehensive springshed policy, moving from pilot to policy adoption, with implementation planned for 2026.
This achievement is a reminder of how local solutions, when supported by technical guidance and collaborative policy processes, can produce durable change. Seeing communities and government work together to secure water for future generations was truly inspiring.
Bhutan’s high-altitude rangelands, vital for yak pastoralism, had suffered decades of degradation due to bans on fire-clearing and climate impacts. Encroaching weeds reduced open grazing, threatened livestock health, and weakened biodiversity and ecosystem services. While national policies allowed prescribed burning, technical guidance and practice had been lacking.
In 2025, ICIMOD partnered with Bhutan’s Department of Forests and Park Services to turn policy into practice. Together, we co-developed National Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for prescribed burning, launched by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and trained over 45 forestry staff and pastoralists in planning, implementing, and monitoring burns.
The demonstration site at Tseko improved as grazing land and wildlife habitat, and local communities applied prescribed burns on around 10 hectares of pasture. The SoPs institutionalised fire management, combining Indigenous practice with science to support rangeland restoration and pastoral livelihoods.
Seeing traditional knowledge and modern science come together in a tangible, practical way reminded me of the deep wisdom embedded in mountain communities, and how ICIMOD can help scale these solutions safely and sustainably.
In 2025, ICIMOD extended technical support to the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan for the development of guidelines on climate-resilient and regenerative tourism. These guidelines prioritise sustainability in mountain tourism by advancing climate resilience, promoting low-carbon practices, ensuring community participation, and strengthening strategic planning. By embedding these principles into policies and development plans, governments can accelerate the transition toward a responsible, regenerative, and future-ready model of mountain tourism.
What stayed with me most was the emphasis on community participation and low-carbon pathways. These guidelines reflect a shared understanding that the future of mountain tourism must protect fragile ecosystems while creating dignified livelihoods for local people. For ICIMOD, this work reinforced our role in helping governments move from aspiration to action, ensuring that tourism in the mountains supports long-term resilience, rather than undermining it.
In 2025, ICIMOD began implementation of the Integrated Climate Adaptation Solutions for the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region (HI-CAS) project, a multi-country initiative focused on strengthening climate adaptation for women and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities across Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
Guided by ICIMOD’s gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) policy and Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, the project is translating inclusive climate policy into locally led action. Early implementation is prioritising community-based, gender-responsive adaptation solutions that address the specific vulnerabilities faced by marginalised women and Indigenous communities, while strengthening their access to resources, decision-making, and climate-resilient livelihoods.
By working closely with national partners in all three countries, HI-CAS is laying the foundation for integrated, ecosystem-based adaptation solutions that respond to local realities and ensure that those most affected by climate change are at the centre of adaptation planning and action.
What gives me confidence is HI-CAS’s clear focus on locally led, gender-responsive adaptation. By centring the knowledge, leadership, and priorities of women and Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal, we are not only strengthening climate resilience – we are helping shift power towards those who have long safeguarded mountain ecosystems. As implementation begins, I am reminded that meaningful climate action is not only about technologies or policies, but about people, equity, and dignity.
Effective stewardship of fragile mountain ecosystems requires more than knowledge; it requires incentives that reward custodianship, unlock opportunities, and catalyse sustainable action. This year, ICIMOD facilitated dialogues that brought community custodians, financial institutions, government line agencies, and media partners to design co-investment mechanisms for protected areas, wetland-rangeland, springs, agroecosystems, and landscape restoration. These initiatives reflect our belief that resilient landscapes thrive when people who care for them are valued and supported.
With these exchanges, we also promoted robust evidence and accounting frameworks in shaping credible incentive mechanisms. Through the application of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, and Remote Sensing (RS) analysis, we supported decision-makers in making visible the economic, social, and ecological value of ecosystems, strengthening the case for co-investment. Complementing this, we have begun the design of the HKH Solutions Platform – a repository of solutions and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) platform for policy, practice, and investment choices.
What this work reaffirmed for me is that incentives, when grounded in evidence and equity, can transform conservation from a cost into an opportunity. Valuing nature must go hand in hand with valuing the people who sustain it.
Wildlife in the HKH is both an emblem of our natural heritage and a partner in ecological balance. Increasing human footprints and changing land use patterns have increased conflicts between people and wildlife. In response, ICIMOD’s Human–Wildlife Coexistence (HWCX) interventions have joined hands with partners in Bhutan, India, and Nepal to promote coexistence solutions rooted in community voice and safety, and shared actions.
We strengthened local capacities to anticipate and respond to wildlife movements and promoted dialogue between wildlife managers and communities to co-design solutions that protect both lives and livelihoods. These efforts underscore a guiding principle of our work: compassionate, inclusive, and partnership-led actions.
True coexistence is not achieved through exclusion, but through trust and shared solutions. Listening to communities and placing safety and dignity at the centre is essential to sustaining both wildlife and human wellbeing.
In 2025, ICIMOD further strengthened its partnership with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) through a GBIF-Capacity Enhancement Support Programme (CESP)-supported capacity-building programme that enhanced institutional capabilities for biodiversity data management across the HKH. Working with national institutions in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, partners published 20 biodiversity datasets using the regional open-access infrastructure, the Hindu Kush Himalayan Biodiversity Information Facility (HKHBIF), hosted by ICIMOD.
Mobilising these datasets through GBIF and HKHBIF is transforming how biodiversity knowledge is shared, accessed, and applied. Open, standardised data is enabling stronger evidence-based decision-making for conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development, critical for safeguarding species, ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them.
Open data is more than transparency; it is empowerment. By democratizing access to biodiversity knowledge, we are enabling smarter decisions and stronger collective action for the mountains and the planet.
ICIMOD sustained the momentum of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP) through consistent expert representation on HKH glacier issues across global and regional platforms. Among these engagements, the Yala Glacier Tribute emerged as a rare, non-disaster-driven, high-impact moment that successfully positioned glacier science within a cultural and community narrative. This proactive, science-led storytelling significantly strengthened ICIMOD’s visibility and credibility, both regionally and globally, while humanising the urgency of glacier loss.
The Yala Glacier Tribute reminded us that science resonates most powerfully when it connects with culture and community. Protecting glaciers is not only a scientific imperative – it is a shared human responsibility.
The HKH Cryosphere Hub entered a new phase in 2025 with the formalisation of its governance framework and the establishment of thematic working groups on glaciers, snow, permafrost, and cryosphere-related hazards. These steps laid a strong foundation for sustained regional scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange.
In parallel, the second edition of the HKH Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Hub focused on inclusive resilience, channelling regional expertise on hazards, risk assessments, and adaptation strategies toward the development of risk-informed investment pathways. The Hub continues to demonstrate the value of collective, institutionalised approaches for regional policy alignment and long-term disaster risk management.
Regional challenges demand regional solutions. These hubs show how trust, shared science, and coordinated action can translate knowledge into lasting resilience.
Recognising persistent gaps in cryosphere monitoring across the HKH, ICIMOD continued to strengthen national and institutional capacities to support RMCs in progressively taking ownership of monitoring and analysis. Field-based trainings were conducted in Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, reinforcing hands-on skills and regional collaboration.
The launch of ICIMOD’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform further expanded access to training, improving flexibility and reach. In 2025, the annual Integrated River Basin Management course was successfully delivered through this platform, marking an important step toward scalable and inclusive capacity development.
Building regional capacity is an investment in long-term resilience. By combining field-based learning with digital platforms, we are ensuring that knowledge is accessible, practical, and future-ready.
The Third Regional Science, Policy, and Finance Dialogue on Air Quality Management in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills took place in Paro, Bhutan, in December 2025 and brought key partners from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan to discuss on developing a voluntary collaborative platform and talk about the factors required to make regional collaboration for air quality management a success. While discussions focused on successful sectoral solutions, including clean cooking, crop residue management and transport, new areas, including the use of artificial intelligence to support decision making and financing for implementation of action, were also discussed.
In Pakistan, the signing of the Agreement of Cooperation for the Sustainable Actions for Ecosystems Restoration project in Pakistan (SAFER Pakistan) Project marked a meaningful transition – from planning to action. My discussions with the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), Aisha Humera Chaudhary, reinforced the value governments place on ICIMOD’s regional, solution-oriented work.
What encouraged me most was the openness to collaboration on climate risk assessments, indigenous irrigation systems, and preparations for COP30. These conversations reminded me that trust, built over time, is one of ICIMOD’s greatest strengths.
In early 2025, the United States administration introduced changes that resulted in a significant reduction in global development financing. ICIMOD has three projects affected by the withdrawal, termination, or restructuring of U.S. funding:
As a result of recent funding disruptions, ICIMOD is currently unable to continue support to several partner institutions engaged through SERVIR-HKH. The programme had introduced a range of innovative solutions and services, with partner uptake and institutionalisation as a core objective. The premature discontinuation of these collaborations risks undermining adoption efforts and may have reputational implications for ICIMOD’s regional partnerships.
The project ‘Reducing air pollution by creative use of pelletisation’ was a three-year initiative implemented from September 2023 to September 2026, funded by the United States Department of State. The project focused on Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, and aimed to address severe regional air pollution linked to agricultural residue burning.
The project sought to develop and pilot an innovative solution to convert agricultural crop residues into biomass pellets, a renewable and cleaner fuel, to partially substitute coal consumption in industries such as brick kilns and manufacturing facilities. Through piloting, demonstration, and regional knowledge exchange, the initiative was expected to contribute to improved air quality and support wider adoption of pelletisation practices through South–South learning and regional cooperation.
On 27 February 2025, the U.S. Embassy formally notified ICIMOD via email of the termination of grant support for the project. As a result of this premature termination, several planned activities could not be implemented. These included the selection of private sector partners through a transparent and competitive process for the installation of a pelletisation unit in Nepal. The proposed pilot unit was designed as a demonstration facility to showcase the technical, economic, and environmental viability of converting agricultural residues into clean energy products. It was also expected to generate practical evidence on operational performance, supply-chain linkages with farmers, and emission reduction benefits, thereby supporting knowledge exchange and facilitating replication of the model in countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan.
In addition, a regionally fit framework document on crop residue pelletisation was prepared but could not be published due to the project’s early closure. Nevertheless, a limited number of activities were able to continue with support from the Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) funding, including:
Although the project was formally launched and all preparatory and inception-phase activities were completed by January 2025, implementation could not proceed due to changes in U.S. administration policy priorities. These shifts resulted in a halt to operationalisation despite the project being fully prepared to transition into full-scale delivery.
For many years, Sweden has generously supported ICIMOD as a key non-regional core donor through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
However, recent shifts in Swedish development policy have altered this landscape. In late 2025, Sweden announced a reprioritisation of its international development assistance, driven by evolving foreign-policy priorities and resource reallocation. As part of this shift, Sweden is phasing out bilateral aid to several institutions in the Asia-Pacific region, including ICIMOD.
While Sweden’s current commitment to ICIMOD for the 2023–2026 period remains formally in place, we have received their advisory on ending the support by 30 June 2026. These policy changes raise uncertainties regarding future levels and modalities of support beyond the current funding cycle.
Participating as a keynote speaker at the Global Citizen Forum on Water and Watersheds for All Lives during Expo 2025 in Osaka was a timely reminder that water connects us far beyond political and geographic boundaries. Sharing perspectives from the HKH, I was struck by how strongly mountain water security resonated with global audiences concerned about climate risks, livelihoods, and shared futures.
This engagement was further strengthened by the signing of a service agreement with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation on 9 May 2025 in Tokyo, marking the formal launch of the Glaciers-to-Ocean Project. Signing the agreement with President Atsushi Sunami, in the presence of colleagues from the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI), Japan, underscored the importance of trusted partnerships in translating dialogue into action.
The Glaciers-to-Ocean initiative (2025–2027) reflects ICIMOD’s commitment to systems thinking –linking cryosphere change in the Himalaya to downstream river basins and coastal ecosystems in the Bay of Bengal. Supported by USD (United States dollar) 1 million from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, the project will strengthen climate resilience, promote sustainable water management, and deepen regional cooperation across the Ganga River Basin. For me, this project represents a critical step toward recognising water as a shared responsibility and a shared opportunity for collective action.
The 56th ICIMOD Board of Governors Meeting took place in Kunming, China, in April 2025. I returned from the meeting with a renewed sense of purpose and a deep appreciation for the power of partnership. Hosted with exceptional generosity and care by our Chinese colleagues, this year’s Board Meeting went beyond reaffirmation of our shared commitment to the mountains; it became a living showcase of innovation, resilience, and possibility.
Representatives from six of our RMCs came together to express strong, unified support for ICIMOD’s mission. Their endorsement of our role as a regional knowledge and policy hub gives us confidence and responsibility to do more and to do it better. The ICIMOD-China Partnership session, held alongside the Board Meeting at the Kunming Institute of Botany, was a powerful testament to what meaningful long-term collaboration can achieve.
We saw science in action – research on the cryosphere, air pollution, agricultural innovation, and biodiversity being translated into real-world solutions. We also formalised new collaborations, most notably through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), strengthening our collective resolve to tackle air pollution and climate change. These partnerships are about exchanging knowledge and, importantly, about co-creating a future that is sustainable, inclusive, and just.
During the Regional Member Countries (RMC) Special Board Meeting held in November 2025 in Kathmandu, the Board conducted a comprehensive review of the RMC Funding Strategy 2021–2030. The deliberations marked an important milestone in reaffirming the collective ownership, strategic relevance, and long-term commitment of the RMCs to ICIMOD as a regional intergovernmental institution serving the HKH region.
The key outcome of the review was the strong expression of confidence by RMCs in ICIMOD’s strategic direction, governance arrangements, and delivery of results under the Funding Strategy 2021–2030. This confidence translated into a collective commitment by the member countries to maintain their annual core contributions at the 2025 level through to the end of the funding strategy period. This proposal represents a clear demonstration of strengthened ownership and responsibility by the RMCs, while providing ICIMOD with enhanced financial predictability and institutional stability. This will be formally approved in the upcoming Board meeting.
It was a rare privilege and honour to welcome Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Edinburgh, to our demonstrator site, the Living Mountain Lab.
Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie met staff from ICIMOD, including world experts in agriculture, springshed management, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, and renewable energy. They also met five Nepali finalists of the HKH innovation challenge for entrepreneurs, through which ICIMOD and Global Resilience Partnership are setting out to empower mountain entrepreneurs to develop climate-resilient solutions.
ICIMOD proudly presented the Dr. Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2025, its flagship award celebrating champions of mountain resilience, sustainable landscapes, and community-driven action across the HKH. Originally launched as the Mountain Prize, it was renamed in 2022 to honour the late Dr. Andreas Schild, former Director General of ICIMOD, whose lifelong dedication shaped mountain research and development in the region.
This year, the Prize focused on two critical mountain lifelines:
The 2025 awardees included:
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 UNFCCC, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), India, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India, GRID Arendal, CRAES- China, Indian Institute Of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), India, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico, Chubu University, Japan, Ministry of Water Supply – Nepal, Habitat for Humanity – Nepal, The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), China, Banking Finance and Insurance Institute of Nepal (BFIN), The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA), Kathmandu University, WaterAid Nepal, CIP (International Potato Centre), ISA (International Solar Alliance), India, Global Green Growth Institute, South Korea, Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) Pakistan, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Pakistan, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Conservation Pakistan, India Foundation, Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Forestry and landscape management; Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand, China Meteorological Administration Training Centre, Beijing, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion (GIEC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China, Swiss Polar Institute, Switzerland, COSFOM, Manipur, India, HELVETAS Swiss Inter co-operation.
As I look toward 2026, I do so with cautious optimism and a deep sense of responsibility. The foundations laid in 2025, stronger regional cooperation, growing global recognition of mountain priorities, and solutions grounded in science and community, must now translate into sustained implementation and impact.
The year ahead will demand that we move decisively from dialogue to delivery, from recognition to resilience. ICIMOD will continue to walk with mountain communities, partners, and countries, ensuring that the Hindu Kush Himalaya remains firmly at the centre of global action, not just in words, but in outcomes that safeguard people, ecosystems, and futures.
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