Back to news

Reflections from Kunming: Innovation, partnership, and the future of mountain development

I returned from the 56th ICIMOD Board of Governors Meeting in Kunming, China, 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.

Pema Gyamtsho

3 mins Read

70% Complete

Representatives from six of our Regional Member Countries 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.

Our field visits took us beyond the conference room – into the heart of China’s remarkable efforts in sustainable mountain development. One of the highlights was the Centre for Mountain Futures (CMF) in Honghe County, a beacon of ecological restoration and innovation. I was particularly inspired by their work on circular agriculture, drought-resistant crops, and – perhaps the most unique – plant-based clothing made from the fibre of native plants identified through the ethnobotanical knowledge of local communities, especially the Hani people. This initiative reduces environmental impact, uplifts local communities, and preserves Indigenous traditions. Research is underway to improve fibre quality, scale sustainable production, and train the next generation of eco-fashion leaders. This is more than a textile project – it is a demonstration of how mountains can produce food and water, and also beauty, culture, and climate-friendly innovation.

We also witnessed how cooperative models like Zhang Liang Flower Farm are transforming lives. What began with just a few farmers has grown into over 2,000 acres of cultivated roses, generating 76.5 million yuan in annual revenue. Yet this is more than a story of economic success – it is one of empowerment, equity, and entrepreneurship. Farmers have become entrepreneurs, technicians, shareholders, and leaders. Women and youth are actively involved in providing labour and leadership roles. In 2024 alone, 73 shareholders received dividends totalling over USD 555,301, with some earning as much as USD 27,817. Members now benefit from multiple income streams: leasing land, employment, dividends, and skill development. This holistic model, combining modern horticulture, cooperative economics, and inclusive development, offers a replicable blueprint for the Hindu Kush Himalaya – particularly for high-value crops, medicinal plants, or agroforestry products.

Equally striking was the Kunyang Phosphate Mine Ecological Restoration Project – a powerful example of how degraded landscapes can be transformed through innovative, company-led initiatives. Once an exhausted phosphate mining zone, the site has been revitalised by Yuntianhua Group, a Fortune 500 agrochemical enterprise, into a thriving high-tech greenhouse complex producing flowers and vegetables for export to markets such as Hong Kong and Japan. This project exemplifies the potential of public-private partnerships in advancing ecological restoration while promoting economic diversification and rural revitalisation. It also highlights how corporate leadership can play a pivotal role in sustainable development, particularly in mountainous and hilly regions.

Visits to jasmine farms and tea producers further illustrated how sustainable farming and value addition can drive rural transformation and support livelihoods in fragile environments.

Across all these experiences, one common thread stood out: innovation rooted in community and development grounded in sustainability. China’s emphasis on integrating science, tradition, and enterprise offers valuable lessons for all of us working across the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

As we move forward, let us continue to build on these partnerships with all our Regional Member Countries. Let us stay inspired by what is possible when knowledge, commitment, and cooperation come together. And let us carry forward the stories, lessons, and energy from Kunming into our collective journey toward a more resilient and prosperous mountain future.

How ICIMOD responded to Nepal’s relief and recovery efforts

In a humanitarian response, and in consultation with the Government of Nepal, ICIMOD provided immediate relief support to partners, communities, ...

Celebrating World Environment Day 2011, ‘Forests: Nature at your Service’

Forests cover approximately 25% of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region, and as a varied repository of biodiversity and biomass they ...

IMD 2010 Message

A majority of the world’s indigenous women and men live in mountain regions, many on the margins of society and ...

The Road Ahead

Last December more than 400 experts on climate change and climate change resilience gathered on our campus in Kathmandu to ...

11 Dec 2023 China
2023年国际山岳日:恢复山地生态系统

山地被广泛认为是生物多样性的发源地,其陡峭的斜坡孕育了各种繁复的生命形式。这些地区作为自然的庇护所变得愈发重要:虽然它们只占据了地球总面积的四分之一,却容纳了地球上85%的两栖动物、鸟类和哺乳动物。这种丰富的自然资源在联合国教科文组织的738个全球生物圈保护区中得到体现,其中明显超过一半位于山区。 然而,令人担忧的是,这些自然资源的非凡丰富正面临威胁。过去,由于偏远或地形困难,山地得以免受人类干扰,但如今这种状况逐渐减少。曾经被视为大自然摇篮和避难所的山地正在逐渐转变成墓地。在兴都库什-喜马拉雅地区,上个世纪就已经失去了70%的生物多样性。这些损失,包括物种的灭绝,如今正以加速度增长,正如ICIMOD的重要评估报告《兴都库什喜马拉雅的水、冰、社会和生态系统》(简称《HIWISE报告》)所指出的那样。 在公众、政治和外交层面,人们越来越认识到自然是我们当前危机中最重要的解决方案之一。联合国已宣布2021-2030年为生态系统恢复十年,去年,《昆明-蒙特利尔全球生物多样性框架》的指导下,全球100多个政府承诺在2030年之前将30%的陆地和海洋保留给自然,其中包括兴都库什-喜马拉雅地区。今年,在联合国全球气候大会COP28上,自然首次成为讨论的核心议题。 这些努力,以及今年国际山岳日的“生态系统恢复”主题,为恢复和保护山区景观提供了迫切需要的推动力。那么,我们的八个成员国离实现“30x30”目标有多近呢?到目前为止,不丹是唯一一个实际超额达标的国家,其51.4%的土地面积已经属于各种保护区类别。 尼泊尔只有不到24%的土地受到保护;中国仅为16%,略高于目标的一半;巴基斯坦占12%;印度为8%;缅甸为7%;孟加拉国为5%,阿富汗为4%。 令人担忧的是,在整个兴都库什-喜马拉雅地区,自然资源仍然丰富的关键区域仍处在保护之外:67%的生态区、39%的生物多样性热点、69%的关键生物多样性区域以及76%的重要鸟类和生物多样性区都没有得到保护。 现有的保护区域犹如在人类改变过的景观中的“孤岛”,缺乏与其他保护区域的连通走廊,无法满足广泛分布的物种需求,并且面临非法捕猎、侵占和资源开采的压力。现有的保护区域不足以确保成功保护我们地区的象征性物种,包括亚洲象、独角犀牛和孟加拉虎。 一个尚未尝试的解决方案是建立跨界生物圈保护区,这将允许在景观层面进行综合保护。实现这一目标需要跨越国家边界的共同政治承诺,并在共享生态系统的管理方面展开合作。ICIMOD将积极推动我们区域成员国接受这一解决方案。 然而,底线是,要扭转自然的损失,我们必须对其进行估值并提供相应的资金支持。只要经济学家继续将其价值定为零,就不会引起足够的重视。在进行估值之前,拥有大量自然资本但经济欠发达的国家将因为缺乏3A信用评级而难以以较低贷款利率借款。必须为该地区的国家提供更便宜的资本来促使自然的恢复:这是ICIMOD将与我们的成员、多边开发银行和其他机构紧急合作推进的事项。为了防止地球系统完全崩溃,我们必须为大自然提供一个适宜的生存环境,这一观点从未像现在这样显而易见。

The Hindu Kush Himalaya could lead the way towards nature-based solutions

Nature is beautifully complex. Natural systems intertwine and depend on one another, with millions of species living and thriving together ...

Wetlands: Nature’s Lifelines at Risk

Wetlands, one of Earth’s most productive ecosystems, provide vital ecological, economic, and cultural benefits. Acting as natural water filter, carbon ...