Managing cryosphere and water risks in Pakistan

Organised by: Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) – Government of Pakistan and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

About the event

This consultation meeting will bring together key institutions in Pakistan working on cryosphere assessment, river basin management, and climate change and disaster risk reduction. During the meeting, we will brief our partner institutions on our new Strategy 2030 and Medium-Term Action Plan (MTAP) V (2023–2026) and produce joint work plans to further strengthen collaboration and partnership.

The event is being organised by Action Area A: Managing Cryosphere and Water Risks under Strategic Group 1: Reducing Climate and Environmental Risks, and supported by the governments of Norway and Switzerland.

Objectives

Share and conduct discussions on MTAP V, and scope for cooperation in the areas of cryosphere assessments, disaster risk reduction, water resource management, and climate risk preparedness in Pakistan
Codevelop activities under ICIMOD’s Action Area A and identify key partners for its implementation

Expected outcomes

Strengthened collaboration with partners and implementation of activities in Pakistan working in the areas of cryosphere, disaster risk reduction, river basin management, and climate change and disaster risk reduction
Joint initial work plans for MTAP V, strategic partnerships and implementation mechanisms, and clear roles and responsibilities of ICIMOD and its partners

Expected participants

This consultation will include representatives from national institutions related to water resource management and disaster risk preparedness, as well as sectoral subject specialists in water, cryosphere, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk preparedness.

Background

ICIMOD has developed a new roadmap in the form of our Strategy 2030 and MTAP V (2023–2026) to enhance cooperation and collaboration for a greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). With this new direction, we are embarking on a new four-year cycle, committed to driving policy and practice. For this, we aim to deploy our position as a leading regional intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre to catalyse necessary transitions in policy, action, and investment. Ownership by all HKH countries is critical for our work to remain relevant and effective.

Pakistan has an extensive area under cryosphere coverage and is particularly vulnerable to cryosphere- and water-related hazards. Together with our key government partners, we will focus our efforts on climate and environment policies and plans. This work will be carried out within our Strategic Group 1: Reducing Climate and Environmental Risks, which aims at addressing the increasing risk of natural hazards in the HKH region – many of which are transboundary. Action Area A: Managing Cryosphere and Water Risks (under Strategic Group 1) will address cryosphere- and water-related risks that are increasing in intensity and complexity.

Tentative agenda

All timings are in Pakistan Standard Time (PKT).

Time	Activity
09:30–10:30	Opening session Facilitator: Faisal Mueen Qamer, Remote Sensing Specialist, ICIMOD Tilawat (recitation) of the Quran Majeed Welcome remarks – Muhammad Ismail, Country Rep. Pakistan/Ecosystem Specialist, ICIMOD Workshop objectives – Faisal Mueen Qamer, ICIMOD Opening remarks – Muhammad Ashraf, Chairman, PCRWR Introduction to ICIMOD’s MTAP V and Strategic Group 1 – Arun Bhakta Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead, SG 1: Reducing Climate and Environmental Risks, ICIMOD Introduction to ICIMOD’s Action Area A – Neera Shrestha Pradhan, Action Area Coordinator, AA-A: Managing Cryosphere and Water Risks, ICIMOD
10:30–11:00	Group photo and tea break
11:00–11:30	Session 2: ICIMOD presentations Facilitator: Arun Bhakta Shrestha, ICIMOD Promoting a regional approach to addressing increasing risks from a changing cryosphere – Sher Muhammad, Remote Sensing Specialist, ICIMOD Promoting innovative and inclusive approaches to disaster risk reduction in policies, practices, and investments – Neera Shrestha Pradhan, ICIMOD Promoting river basin-scale frameworks for informed and inclusive decision making – Faisal Mueen Qamer, ICIMOD
11:30–12:30	Session 3: Partners’ presentations Facilitator: TBC Upper Indus Basin Network – Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources Living Indus Initiative – MoCC Cryosphere monitoring including the progress of GLOF-2 – PMD Snow cover changes and snowmelt runoff in the Upper Indus Basin – WAPDA Adventure of science (cryosphere field experience for women scientists) – KIU
12:30–13:30	Lunch break
13:30–15:30	Session 4: Group work Facilitator: Arun Bhakta Shrestha, ICIMOD Group work on identifying key areas of work, complementarities with lead national institutions and collaborating mechanism for each of the three interventions areas including: Promoting a regional approach to addressing increasing risks from a changing cryosphere (Regional cryosphere strategy, current gaps, and need for cryosphere research and institutional capability assessment) Promoting innovative and inclusive approaches to disaster risk reduction in policies, practices, and investments Promoting river basin-scale frameworks for informed and inclusive decision making
15:30–15:20	Tea break
15:20–16:00	Way forward Facilitator: Sher Muhammed, ICIMOD Group work presentations Summary and closing remarks – Arun Bhakta Shrestha, ICIMOD Vote of thanks – Muhammad Ismail, ICIMOD

Time	Activity
09:00–10:30	Session 5: Capacity gaps and needs in cryosphere monitoring, assessment and adaptation Introductory presentations (10 min each): Status and needs of cryosphere hazard observation and mitigation in high-altitude regions: PDMA’s perspective – PDMA KPK Addressing cryosphere hazards in high-altitude regions of Gilgit-Baltistan’s – GBDMA Group discussion: What capacity exists in different institutions in cryosphere monitoring, analysis, and adaptation? What are the capacity gaps? What are the capacity enhancement needs? Suggested group division: glacier, snow, permafrost, GLOFs and/or cryosphere hazards, cryosphere and ecosystems, cryosphere and society Discussion: Group work and feedback
10:30–10:45	Tea break
10:45–12:30	Session 6: Enhancing dialogue and Information sharing on cryosphere research and water resource policy in the HKH region Introductory presentations (10 min each): HKH CryoHub: A community of practice for cryosphere research and activities in the HKH – Chimi Seldon, Communications Officer, ICIMOD Developing a regional cryosphere research synthesis strategy – Sher Muhammad, ICIMOD Group discussion How can the HKH CryoHub be harnessed for sharing of cryosphere-related information and building a thriving community of practice for cryosphere researchers and decision makers in the region? What are some important steps in developing a regional cryosphere strategy? What aspects of ecosystems and society need more recognition or need to be included in cryosphere research?
12:30-12:45	Summary remarks
12:45–13:45	Lunch break

Managing cryosphere and water risks in Pakistan

Programmes

Venue

Date & Time

Contact

About the event

Objectives

Expected outcomes

Expected participants

Background

Tentative agenda

Managing cryosphere and water risks in Pakistan

Programmes

Venue

Date & Time

Contact

About the event

Objectives

Expected outcomes

Expected participants

Background

Tentative agenda

Tuesday, 4 July 2023

Wednesday, 5 July 2023

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