Permafrost research in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

About the regional dialogue

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is organising a two-day regional dialogue on permafrost research in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). The event responds to the urgent need for stronger regional evidence on permafrost distribution, degradation, and associated risks, and for clearer pathways to connect this evidence with policy and planning.

The dialogue will bring together scientists, policymakers, research institutions, and early-career researchers to review existing knowledge, identify priority gaps, and define practical steps for coordinated monitoring and research. It will also support discussion on how permafrost considerations can be reflected in climate change, disaster risk reduction, adaptation, and infrastructure planning across the region.

The dialogue builds on ICIMOD’s September 2024 workshop on permafrost research and on ongoing regional efforts to develop standardised cryosphere monitoring guidelines for the HKH.

Objectives

• Review the current state of permafrost research and monitoring in the HKH, including key data, capacity, and coordination gaps.
• Discuss the implementation of a permafrost strategy for resilient mountain societies, highlighting harmonised approaches and decision-support services.
• Strengthen the link between permafrost science and decision-making by identifying policy entry points in climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure planning, and resilient mountain development.

Discussions will focus on:

•  Permafrost distribution, degradation, and implications for hazards, infrastructure, ecosystems, livelihoods, hydrology, and climate feedback.
•  Approaches for harmonised monitoring, data management, and integration of permafrost information into analytical and research frameworks.
• Policy and institutional pathways for incorporating permafrost risks into climate, disaster risk reduction, adaptation, and development planning.

Expected outcomes

By the end of the dialogue, participants are expected to have a shared understanding of priority knowledge gaps, institutional roles, and opportunities for collaboration on permafrost research and monitoring in the HKH.

The dialogue will also contribute to a clearer roadmap for advancing permafrost observation, data integration, capacity strengthening, and policy uptake at national and regional levels.

Funding and acknowledgement

This regional dialogue is organised by ICIMOD’s Cryosphere intervention under the Climate and Environmental Risks Strategic Group. The event is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Background

Permafrost occurs across large parts of the HKH but remains one of the least-monitored components of the cryosphere. In many high-altitude areas of the Himalayan sub-region, limited field observations and fragmented datasets constrain understanding of permafrost distribution, dynamics, and rates of change.

As temperatures rise, permafrost degradation can increase risks to ecosystems, infrastructure, water systems, and mountain livelihoods. It can also contribute to slope instability, mass movements, and compound hazards, while raising broader environmental concerns such as potential carbon emissions and the release of pollutants from frozen ground.

A coordinated regional approach is therefore needed to improve field-based observations, harmonise methods, strengthen institutional capacity, and generate comparable evidence for decision-making. Building on national consultations with partners in the Regional Member Countries and ongoing work on standardised cryosphere monitoring guidelines, this dialogue aims to advance the development of a regional permafrost monitoring and research strategy and identify policy pathways for climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and resilient mountain development.