A year ago, ICIMOD and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen climate transparency across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Today, on the sidelines of SB64 in Bonn, Dr Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD, met with Dr Xuehong Wang, Director of Transparency, UNFCCC, to take stock of the progress. In one year, the partnership has made significant strides in supporting implementation of the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) across the HKH region. A key milestone was the launch of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Regional Climate Action Transparency Hub (HKHRCATH) in Paro, Bhutan, in December 2025 providing a platform for capacity-building, peer learning, and regional knowledge exchange. Based on the priorities identified by countries during the regional consultation process, the Hub’s first activity will be a regional training workshop on national greenhouse gas inventories in September 2026. The training workshop aims to strengthen technical and institutional capacities for ETF development and implementation, including the application of the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines and the IPCC Inventory Software. The meeting also focused on opportunities for joint resource mobilization to scale support for countries in the region and the importance of strengthening the science–policy interface. Robust, science-based evidence is essential for enhancing transparency systems, informing climate decision-making, tracking progress towards Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and supporting effective adaptation, and mitigation actions. Through this growing partnership, UNFCCC and ICIMOD are helping countries strengthen transparency systems, advance evidence-based climate action, and foster greater regional cooperation to address the climate challenges facing mountain regions. #ParisAgreement #EnhancedTransparencyFramework #UNFCCC #SB64 #ClimateAction #SG3 #GlobalAdvocacy

“The science is clear, the risks are growing, and the consequences extend far beyond mountain regions. The task before us is no longer to demonstrate why mountains matter. The task now is to ensure that mountain risks, mountain solutions, and mountain communities are systematically reflected across the implementation of the Convention and the Paris Agreement. This dialogue must help move us from recognition to action.” At the Opening Session of the UNFCCC Mandated Dialogue on Mountains & Climate Change during the 64th Session of the Subsidiary Bodies, ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho delivered a high-level keynote calling for mountains to be firmly embedded in global climate action. He highlighted a clear message: mountains must be elevated as a global climate priority, underlining, both the disproportionate risks faced by mountain regions and the critical role mountains play in delivering solutions for climate resilience, water security, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. A strong call to move from awareness to implementation, and from dialogue to decisive action. #SB64 #BonnClimate #UNFCCC #COP31 #MovingMountains #MountainsMatter #JuneClimateMeetings #GlobalAdvocacy #SG3

HAPPENING NOW 🔴WATCH LIVE as ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho speaks to mountain voices and priorities at the face of the global climate crisis as the high-level keynote speaker at the Opening Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Mandated Event: ‘Dialogue on Mountains & Climate Change’ at the 64th Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64). Starting shortly (10:00 AM CET) at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB), Germany.  The UNFCCC process has made important progress in recognising mountain issues. The challenge now is to translate recognition into action.  As countries prepare for COP31, this dialogue will underscore the vital role of mountains in sustaining water security, biodiversity, climate resilience, and livelihoods for billions of people worldwide and the urgent need to move from ambition to implementation.  Watch live: unfccc.int/event/mountains-c… #SB64 #BonnClimate #UNFCCC #COP31 #MovingMountains #MountainsMatter #JuneClimateMeetings #GlobalAdvocacy #SG3

“The era of preparing for a single, predictable hazard is over,” said Saswata Sanyal, DRR specialist at ICIMOD. “Anticipatory action and early warning must now be the foundation.” A below-normal monsoon forecast for parts of Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) in 2026 is not expected to reduce disaster risks, with scientists warning that short bursts of intense rainfall, rising temperatures, and growing water stress could make the season increasingly dangerous. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Monsoon Outlook 2026, published today, projects lower-than-normal rainfall across several countries, including Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, alongside above-normal temperatures across much of the region. Read the full press release: icimod.org/press-release/hin… #MonsoonOutlook2026 #ClimateChange #EarlyWarning #DisasterRisk #AnticipatoryAction #SG1 #DRR

We are bringing mountain voices and priorities to the heart of global climate negotiations. ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho will deliver the high-level keynote address at the Opening Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Mandated Event: ‘Dialogue on Mountains & Climate Change’ at the 64th Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) on 12 June 2026 at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB), Germany. The UNFCCC process has made important progress in recognising mountain issues. The challenge now is to translate recognition into action. As countries prepare for COP31, this dialogue will underscore the vital role of mountains in sustaining water security, biodiversity, climate resilience, and livelihoods for billions of people worldwide and the urgent need to move from ambition to implementation. The opening session will address the question “Why do climate-related risks and solutions that advance climate action in mountains matter for the implementation of the Convention and the Paris Agreement, and why is this discussion timely within the international climate change space?” Watch live: unfccc.int/event/mountains-c…

We are proud to share that ICIMOD Director General, Pema Gyamtsho, has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society for Community Mobilization for Sustainable Development (MOBILIZATION), India, and Nepal Farmers Advisory Council Pvt. Ltd. (NFAC), Nepal. The award recognises his outstanding and long-standing contributions to sustainable development in mountain regions, including his leadership in advancing climate-resilient agriculture, promoting the conservation and sustainable management of mountain ecosystems, and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities facing climate change. The award was presented during the International Conference on ‘Women and Youth for Transforming Agribusiness Ecosystems’ held in Bhaktapur, Nepal, from 9 to 11 June 2026. The conference brings together policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, entrepreneurs, and farmer leaders to explore how women and youth can drive innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and inclusive growth in agribusiness systems. Receiving the award, Dr Gyamtsho shared: “I dedicate this award to all the farmers across our region for giving me the privilege to serve them and contribute, in a small way, to their well-being. My sincere thanks to MOBILIZATION, India, and NFAC, Nepal, for this honour.” Congratulations to Dr Gyamtsho on this well-deserved recognition and for his continued commitment to building a more resilient and sustainable future for mountain communities.

Are you a researcher, student or government planner requiring regional biophysical data? We have good news for you. ICIMOD has launched its Regional Database System (RDS) – a repository of data and information on the Hindu Kush Himalaya’s biophysical data. It serves as a databank, accessible to everyone. You’ll find data on: 🌍 Land cover 🏔️ Cryosphere (snow and glacier) 🌳 Forest data 🚨 Disaster data and more! Access here: rds.icimod.org/ Register and download your datasets.

Clean air is an investment, not a cost. There is an urgent need for policies that prioritize clean air investments in the IGP-HF, viewed through the lens of return on investment. Country-specific IRR estimates are essential to support budget decisions and guide investments. We need to move beyond generic figures and strengthen evidence for more effective advocacy. Development banks and national planning commissions should initiate this work without delay. Read here: government.economictimes.ind… #SG1 #airpollution #cleanair

Every monsoon, floods destroy springs and turn water sources murky. Every winter, they dry up. For families in Madhesh Province, Nepal, especially women, this means walking for hours just to find safe drinking water. These periods also coincide with rice and wheat planting seasons, compounding daily hardship and increase health risks. The seasonal water insecurity is not a background statistic - it is a daily crisis. Through the “Building capabilities for green, climate-resilient and inclusive development” (HI-GRID) project, supported by the Australian Government and implemented by ICIMOD in partnership with the local organisation Community Development and Advocacy Forum Nepal (CDAFN), site specific Nature-based Solutions are being implemented in Gajale Kholsi, a tributary of the Ratu watershed. These measures, including gabion and bamboo check dams, locally adapted vegetation, and toe protection works, help trap sediment, regulate water flow, stabilise erosion prone riverbanks, and protect agricultural land. Total investment: NPR 8 million with 31% contributed by local communities, Community Forest User Groups, and Mithila municipality. @AusAmbNP

Join us for SANDEE-ICIMOD Karl-Göran Mäler Memorial Lecture 2026: two compelling talks on climate resilience and women's empowerment. 🎙 Lecture 1: From Climate Risk to Resilience: Nepal’s Banking Sector and Sustainable Development With about 37% of Nepal’s population is exposed to climate-related risks, how Nepal’s banking and financial sector is responding supporting renewable energy, and helping communities build resilience? Speaker: Gunakar Bhatta, National Planning Commission of Nepal Moderator: Mani Nepal, ICIMOD 🎙 Lecture 2: Electrifying Empowerment: Women and Energy Access Drawing on coordinated studies and a randomised control trial in Myanmar. Speaker: Subhrendu K. Pattanayak, Duke University Moderator: Soumya Balasubramanya, World Bank 📅: 12 June 2026 | 09:05–11:30 AM (Nepal Standard Time) Register now: icimod-org.zoom.us/meeting/r… Date and Time: 08:35–11:00 AM (Afghanistan) 09:20–11:45 AM (Bangladesh) 09:20–11:45 AM (Bhutan) 11:20 AM–01:45 PM (China) 08:50–11:15 AM (India) 08:50–11:15 AM (Myanmar) 08:20–10:45 AM (Pakistan)

Climate impacts are already reshaping lives across the Hindu Kush Himalaya, from water scarcity to rising flood risks. Nearly two billion people face growing threats to water and food security, as highlighted in the Water, Ice, Society, and Ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HI-WISE) assessment. As a bridge between COP 30 and COP 31, the 64th sessions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change subsidiary bodies (SB64), held from June 8 to 18, 2026, at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) in Germany, mark a critical moment to move decisions forward. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will support its Regional Member Countries in amplifying mountain voices in advocating the mountain agenda, promoting ambitious climate action and catalysing investments in the region. Meet our delegation and learn more about our sessions at the Bonn Climate Change Conference: icimod.org/unfccc-sb64/ #SB64 #BonnClimate #UNFCCC #COP31 #MovingMountains #MountainsMatter #Adaptation #ClimateFinance #GlobalAdvocacy #SG3

Nature sustains us, and it is our responsibility to sustain nature in return. 🌿 On World Environment Day, our staff share what the mountains, forests, and rivers of the Hindu Kush Himalaya mean to them, and what it means for the climate and for the future. #NowForClimate #WorldEnvironmentDay #WorldEnvironmentDay2026 #NatureBasedSolutions

The Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 focused the theme of "Ecological Conservation and Pathways for Innovative Development of Famous Tourism Mountains". Representatives from mountain management bodies across China, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam practical pathways and sustainable development governance experience for the coordinated development of ecological conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and tourism industries at famous tourism mountains including Shennongjia, Mount Fitz Roy, Soudah Peak, Danxia Mountain, and Yên Tử Mountain. The roundtable was hosted by Xu Jing, Former Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of UN Tourism. Panelists included Soon-Hwa Wong, Ambassador for Greater China at Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA); Tiger Wu, Founding Chairman of the International Tourism Studies Association and Member of IMTA Expert Committee; Federico Mattei, Sustainable Food Systems Specialist at Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Zhao Zhonghua, Chief Representative of the Beijing Representative Office, World Animal Protection; and Anu Kumari Lama, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)-nominated speaker for the event. Together they explored the way to balance tourism development with ecological protection. #IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD @UNmountains @icimod @nepalmountains @nepalcanyoning @PATA_HQ @UNWTO_pub @UNWTO @MoveTheWorld @ITSA_HQ @wtasocial

International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 Theme Events Open in Shennongjia Safeguarding World Heritage Mountains, Shaping a Sustainable Future Together The International Mountain Tourism Day 2026 Theme Events opened on 29 May in Shennongjia, Hubei Province. With the theme "Preserving World Heritage, Sharing the Prosperity of Famous Mountains — Zhiyin Hubei, Mysterious Shennongjia", the gathering brought together representatives from international organizations, foreign embassies and consulates in China, cultural and tourism authorities, industry leaders, experts and scholars, and media professionals from around the world. The program featured the opening ceremony and the Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 as its main part, complemented by the Mountain Culture and Tourism Exhibition, IMTA Night of Shennongjia, the Investment and Business Meeting for Mountain Culture and Tourism, and other events. The Theme Events is organized by IMTA, and carried out jointly by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, the Shennongjia Forestry District People's Government, Hubei Cultural Tourism Group, and the IMTA Secretariat, with support from international organizations, including UN Tourism, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), the ASEAN - China Centre, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF). The opening ceremony featured addresses by Dang Zhen, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Hubei Provincial Committee; He Yafei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of IMTA; Natalia Bayona, UN Tourism Executive Director; Wu Zhimin, Assistant Director-General and Forestry Division Director, FAO; Khalil-ur-Rahman Hashimi, Pakistani Ambassador to China; Roshan Khanal, Chargé d'Affaires and Minister, Embassy of Nepal in China; Tao Congrui, Deputy Director of Tourism Quality Supervision and Management Office, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China; and Xu Peng, Vice Chairman of WTA. Ke Ke, Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, presided. The kick-off ceremony was inspired by Shennongjia's folk tradition of gratitude for the five grains. Guests poured the five grains into the "Mountain Forest Basin" containing seedlings of the Qinling fir—revered as a "living fossil" among plants, thereby advocating for global efforts in the protection and cultivation of endangered species. Zhou Jun, District Chief of Shennongjia Forestry District, released the Shennongjia Declaration, calling on the global tourism community and mountain travelers to protect nature with reverence, preserve heritage with ingenuity, advance collaboration with openness, and ensure shared prosperity for all. Liu Zhaohui, Vice Chairman of IMTA, issued plaques to two new "World Famous Tourism Mountains" designated by IMTA—Wuyi Mountain and Shennongjia of China. Annapurna Peak and Shennongjia Forestry District formally exchanged the Letter of Intent to Establish a Sister Mountains Relationship, establishing a "Sister Mountains" partnership. The two destinations will collaborate on sustainable tourism research, joint promotion, heritage protection and utilization. The Dialogue among World Famous Mountains 2026 focused the theme of "Ecological Conservation and Pathways for Innovative Development of Famous Tourism Mountains". Representatives from mountain management bodies across China, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam practical pathways and sustainable development governance experience for the coordinated development of ecological conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and tourism industries at famous tourism mountains including Shennongjia, Mount Fitz Roy, Soudah Peak, Danxia Mountain, and Yen Tu Mountain. The roundtable was hosted by Xu Jing, Former Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of UN Tourism. Panelists included Soon-Hwa Wong, Ambassador for Greater China at PATA; Tiger Wu, Founding Chairman of the International Tourism Studies Association and Member of IMTA Expert Committee; Federico Mattei, Sustainable Food Systems Specialist at MPS of FAO; Zhao Zhonghua, Chief Representative of the Beijing Representative Office, World Animal Protection; and Anu Kumari Lama, ICIMOD-nominated speaker for the event. Together they explored the way to balance tourism development with ecological protection. #IMTA #International #NEWS #Events #mountain #hiking #ecological #hiking #tourism #IMTD @UNmountains @icimod @nepalmountains @nepalcanyoning @PATA_HQ @UNWTO_pub @UNWTO @MoveTheWorld @ITSA_HQ @wtasocials

Across the Hindu Kush Himalaya, communities are searching for ways to live alongside a changing climate. In Nepal, some are finding answers not in complex technology, but in nature's own wisdom. A documentary follows two women-led enterprises proving that ecology and economy can grow from the same root. In Makwanpur, the Chepang community harvests Amliso (broom grass). Its deep roots hold fragile slopes together, preventing landslides. The same plant becomes a dignified livelihood, helping families support their children. In Kathmandu, the founders of Sakal Bio turn fruit waste from local restaurants into non-toxic bioenzyme cleaners – creating jobs, protecting water systems, and closing the loop on urban waste. Two different enterprises. One shared vision. This documentary is produced under the Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP), funded by the UK Government through its flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme. Watch the full documentary: youtu.be/cUdSt_KyHAE?si=x_Yv… #HIREAP #WorldEnvironmentDay #Enterprises #NaturebasedSolutions #SG2 @UKinNepal @FCDOGovUK @bandanashakya12

"Over the years, I have had the privilege of travelling across mountain regions and ecosystems around the globe. Whether in the Himalaya, the Arctic, or other fragile landscapes, I have seen a common truth: where nature thrives, communities thrive. When ecosystems are degraded, the consequences are felt first and most deeply by people. This is why the World Environment Day 2026 theme, "Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.", resonates so strongly with me. It reminds us that the solutions we need are often already present in the ecosystems around us. If we are willing to learn from them, invest in them, and create the conditions for them to thrive." - Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD Read the full message from our Director General: hkh.pub/WED2026 #NowForClimate #WorldEnvironmentDay #WorldEnvironmentDay2026 #NatureBasedSolutions

From the Arctic to the Himalayas, climate change is reshaping lives. We asked our HKH Arctic Youth Champions one question. What role can youth play in cross regional collaboration for climate action? Nine of the twelve youth champions gathered in ICIMOD headquarters from 1–3 June for a learning, exchange, and collaboration visit. The visit focused on strengthening youth leadership and cross-regional cooperation on climate action and resilience. Launched in October 2025 in Iceland, the HKH - Arctic Youth Leadership Forum has established itself as a platform to create meaningful connections between two of the world’s most climate-sensitive regions. This cross-learning event is part of a year-long fellowship aimed at fostering collaboration, shared learning, and youth-led solutions for a changing world. Learn more about the event here: icimod.org/initiative/hindu-…