HKH CryoHub – a cryosphere network for the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Agenda

About the event

ICIMOD’s Action Area on Managing Cryosphere and Water Risks (AAA) under the Strategic Group on Reducing Climate and Environment Risks (SG1) is organising a meeting on Partner Consultation: HKH CryoHub. The event will bring together key institutions of ICIMOD’s regional member countries (RMCs) and partners who are actively engaged in cryosphere-related topics, including those who maintain national data repositories and conduct cryosphere monitoring activities in their respective countries. We will also invite prominent cryosphere scientists in our network to be part of this event virtually.

ICIMOD’s fifth Medium-term Action Plan (MTAP V) outlines the need to improve cryosphere monitoring capabilities of RMC institutions and foster a harmonised approach to addressing cryosphere changes. Discussions during the meeting will centre around planned activities aimed at achieving these dual objectives. These includes outlining a definitive roadmap for the transition of HKH CryoHub into a vibrant science network in the HKH that will foster cryosphere research initiatives, facilitate data sharing, and promote research collaboration.  The meeting will also establish preliminary working groups under the HKH CryoHub among ICIMOD partners and explore how these thematic working groups (TWGs) will contribute to MTAP V objectives, particularly, the Regional Cryosphere Strategy, cryosphere expertise capacity mapping and hazard observation capacity building. Listed below are specific objectives for the event.

Objectives

• Formulate common themes and identify possible working groups that would be most productive for cryosphere-related work in the HKH, considering GESI
• Examine how ICIMOD’s existing and potential partners can contribute to ICIMOD achieving cryosphere-related outcomes in MTAP V
• Start the transition of the HKH CryoHub into an HKH science network and explore linkages with HKH TWG on Cryosphere

Expected outcomes

• Preliminary working groups under HKH CryoHub are defined and members identified
• The contribution of different partners to achieving MTAP V outcomes is better defined

Background

ICIMOD has developed a new roadmap in the form of  Strategy 2030 and MTAP V (2023–2026) to enhance cooperation and collaboration for a greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya. With this new direction, ICIMOD is embarking on a new four-year cycle, committed to driving policy and practice.

They HKH CryoHub has been very active in arranging and supporting capacity building workshops, sharing ICIMOD’s cryosphere results on social media, etc. However, the HKH CryoHub did not previously follow the structure as other hubs such as the Upper Indus Basin Network (UIBN) and Koshi Disaster Knowledge Hub (KDKH). Under MTAP V, the possibility for formulating such groups and how they can contribute to a successful MTAP V for ICIMOD will be examined, with the groups finalised during the regional workshop in early 2024. This event will also explore the opportunities to link HKH CryoHub with the TWG envisaged by the Science Policy Dialogue on Cryosphere in September 2023.