Back to news
16 Jul 2019 | Atmosphere Initiative

South–South learnings for future collaboration in air quality and health research in the HKH

A two-day workshop on air pollution has built a platform for stakeholders from the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region to come together and share knowledge on air pollution and health, promoting collaboration and related research. The regional workshop on “Air pollution and health in Nepal and the HKH” – organized from 13 to 14 June 2019 by ICIMOD and the University of Nottingham – helped share existing knowledge, identify research gaps, and facilitate South–South learning from elsewhere in the HKH.

1 min Read

70% Complete
Inauguration of the newly established FABKA secretariat in Kathmandu. ICIMOD, 2019.

Day 1 of the workshop was dedicated to the existing literature on air quality and health, whereas Day 2 focused on open crop burning, indoor air pollution and exposure, and ambient air pollution. Two group discussion sessions broadly discussed the (1) research gaps in air quality and health research and building collaborations in the HKH and (2) an integrated approach to understanding air pollution and health.

ICIMOD presented an overview of ongoing interdisciplinary studies linking air pollution and health. A common finding across studies points to behaviour change as a vital factor in effective air pollution mitigation and health awareness efforts. Shekhar Ghimire, Director of Administration and Finance, ICIMOD, highlighted the need to recognize the increasing threat of air pollution on human and environmental health.

In her keynote speech, Charlotte Bolton, Professor of Respiratory Medicine – Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, noted a dramatic increase in cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases among women from low-income countries compared with that among women from high-income countries. Bolton stressed on the need to address this threat in locally appropriate ways.

1. Findings from Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and the UK on current research in air quality and health impacts of air pollution were shared through 28 presentations and over 10 posters. (Photo: ICIMOD)

The workshop was attended by a good mix of participants – medical practitioners, atmospheric scientists, sociologists, and policy makers from across the region – sharing their experiences and discussing the gaps in forging stronger collaborations.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

RELATED CONTENTS

Continue exploring this topic

26 Feb 2016 News
Sustainable Management of Local Varieties in Kailash

[caption id="attachment_8590" align="aligncenter" width="560"] A women’s group displays their crop diversity during the ...

Third Regional Meeting for Kangchenjunga Landscape Initiative

Participants included high-level government officials from Bhutan led by Dasho Tenzin Dhundup, Secretary at ...

16 Dec 2021 Press releases
IUCN report identifies sites with World Heritage potential in Himalaya and beyond

A new report lists seven broad areas in the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram mountain ranges where new ...

14 Mar 2018 REDD+
ICIMOD Delegation Observes REDD + Activities in Mizoram, India

Mizoram’s forest cover is the highest of any state in India but it is severely degraded. The International Centre for ...

17 Nov 2015 News
Water Assessment in Tsirang, Bhutan

The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with the Local Government, Tsirang District, Bhutan conducted a rapid ...

14 Dec 2017 Atmosphere Initiative
HKH Features at UNFCCC COP 23

During another side event on 7 November, representatives from the two ends of the geographical spectrum, the small islands and ...

22 Mar 2017 HKPL
Xi’an delegation visits ICIMOD and other relevant departments in Nepal

An official delegation from Shaanxi Province, Xian, China visited ICIMOD from 19 - 23 February 2017, a visit organized by ...