Panel on “Towards Regional Solutions: Glacial Melt, Water Challenges, and Science Diplomacy in the Hindu Kush Himalaya”
Official Side Event on the 1st World Day for Glaciers and World Water Day (online)
March 21, 2025
10:30 am-12:00 pm CET (18:30-20:00 Japan Time/ 15:15-16:45 Nepal Time)
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Zoom Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U7p3VT7yTFC2uPM-jxLmfg |
Background
In December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution to declare 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, accompanied by the proclamation of the 21st of March each year as the World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025. This initiative seeks to raise global awareness of the critical role of glaciers, snow, and ice in the climate system and the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the impending changes in the Earth’s cryosphere.
Building on our IYGP 2025 official side event on January 21, 2025, this panel will explore solutions to the urgent challenge of glacial melt in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). As climate change threatens the region’s cryosphere, water security, and stability, strengthening regional cooperation is more crucial than ever.
Objectives
- Deepen the understanding of the interconnectedness between the cryosphere, water security, and regional stability.
- Explore innovative strategies for regional cooperation and the role of science diplomacy in transboundary water management.
- Propose actionable strategies and projects that can be initiated or planned in the short to medium term to address the challenges identified.
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～Program (90 minutes)～ Webinar Introduction: Ms. Yumiko Asayama, Chief Manager, APWF Secretariat c/o Japan Water Forum Opening Remarks Dr. Shahbaz Khan, APWF Vice Governing Council Chair c/o Director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing and UNESCO Representative to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea Remarks ICIMOD
Keynote Presentation (10 mins) Dr. Qianggong Zhang, Strategic Group Lead, ICIMOD
Panel Discussion (Including Q&A) ( 60 mins) Panelists: Ms. Bushra Nishat, Environmental Specialist, Bangladesh – World Bank Dr. Anamika Barua, Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India Prof. A. P. Dimri, Director, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism Dr. Muhammad Arif Goheer, Executive Director, Global Climate-Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), Pakistan Dr. Sanjay Srivastava, Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction, ESCAP
Engage with the audience to gather diverse perspectives and refine recommendations (15 Mins)
Moderator: Dr. Faisal M. Qamer, Intervention Manager, Resilient River Basins, ICIMOD
Closing Remarks: Dr. Shahbaz Khan
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IYGP 2025 Task Force(s):
TF-2: International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, Regional Workshops and Capacity Building