As the source of ten of Asia’s major river systems, the Hindu Kush Himalayas provide water, ecosystem services, and livelihoods to more than 210 million people. The region is also a source of water for more than 1.3 billion people – a fifth of the world’s population – living in downstream river basins. Climate change and other changes have already begun to impact ecosystems and communities across the region, as well as those downstream. Traditional adaptation techniques, which have supported people in mountain areas for centuries, are no longer able to keep up with the rapid pace of change.
To effectively support communities in adapting to change, solutions must be developed that look beyond political, sectoral, and national boundaries. It also requires in-depth knowledge of both local conditions and broader global climate change trends. Although new reports, such as ‘Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’ recently released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), have provided fresh insight, there are still gaps in our knowledge about how climate change is and will affect the Hindu Kush Himalayan region.
As the source of ten of Asia’s major river systems, the Hindu Kush Himalayas provide water, ecosystem services, and livelihoods to more than 210 million people. The region is also a source of water for more than 1.3 billion people – a fifth of the world’s population – living in downstream river basins. Climate change and other changes have already begun to impact ecosystems and communities across the region, as well as those downstream. Traditional adaptation techniques, which have supported people in mountain areas for centuries, are no longer able to keep up with the rapid pace of change.
To effectively support communities in adapting to change, solutions must be developed that look beyond political, sectoral, and national boundaries. It also requires in-depth knowledge of both local conditions and broader global climate change trends. Although new reports, such as ‘Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’ recently released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), have provided fresh insight, there are still gaps in our knowledge about how climate change is and will affect the Hindu Kush Himalayan region.
The Mountain People Adapting to Change Conference aims to fill some of these knowledge gaps by bringing together over 200 experts and stakeholders from around the globe, including government representatives and high-level dignitaries from the Hindu Kush Himalayas, for discussion and debate on the status of adaptation. The Conference will approach climate change adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalayas from a holistic perspective, seen in the context of other change processes and in relation to changes in mountain areas around the globe. By drawing together the latest knowledge, policies, and practices on adaptation, the Conference aims to strengthen the interface between science, policy, and practice and improve communication for adaptation to change in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and downstream.