Field-Based Cryosphere Monitoring- Observation, Analysis and Safety Training

Organisers: ICIMOD and WAPDA

About the training

This comprehensive training programme focuses on glacier monitoring, data analysis, and field safety, aimed at strengthening partner institutions capacity in cryosphere science. It will equip early-career researchers, faculty members, and institutional teams in Pakistan with the knowledge and tools to monitor glaciers, snow, and permafrost effectively and safely.

The training is divided into two integrated components:

1. Cryosphere Monitoring and Analysis
   Participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of glaciology and permafrost science, learning how to collect and analyse field-based data using the latest tools and techniques. The course will also explore a catchment-scale approach, enabling a more holistic understanding of the interconnected cryosphere elements.
2. Glacier Safety and Mountaineering
   Working in remote glacier environments presents serious risks. This module will offer essential mountaineering and safety training, including knot tying, rope handling, glacier walking, crevasse navigation, and rescue techniques. Participants will also learn safety protocols for traversing steep, glaciated terrain while carrying heavy equipment

Training objectives

• Building technical capacity for long-term, in-situ cryosphere monitoring;
• Enabling robust data analysis through integration with remote sensing;
• Equipping participants with the safety skills needed to conduct fieldwork in harsh, high-altitude environments.

Target participants

This course targets around 30–35 participants from Pakistan’s key academic, research, and government institutions involved in cryosphere-related work, including:

• Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD)
• Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA)
• Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC)
• Karakoram International University (KIU)
• University of Baltistan
• Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)
• COMSATS University

Participants will include faculty members, students, and early-career professionals. Gender balance and institutional representation will be key criteria in the selection process. From the main group, around 12 participants will be nominated for the advanced field safety component based on recommendations from their home institutions.

Location for field-based training: Passu Glacier and surrounding areas in the Karakoram region, Pakistan

Background

The cryosphere, consisting of glaciers, snow, and permafrost, is one of the main freshwaters for nearly one-fifth of the population of the world. In High Mountain Asia, particularly in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and Karakoram regions, these cryosphere components are now placed under mounting stresses due to climate change. Despite the importance of these for water resources and for mitigation of hazards (including those posed by ice avalanches, landslides, and debris flows), systematic ground-based monitoring in space and time is still negligible and sparse. Currently, only 18 glaciers remain under observation in the Himalaya mountains of the HKH only. There is a need for field-based data collection to complement remote-sensing observations to understand the current state of the cryosphere.

This training is jointly organised by ICIMOD through its action area on Cryosphere and water under the strategic group-climate and Environment in collaboration with the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) of Pakistan. This training is jointly organized by ICIMOD in collaboration with the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Pakistan.