By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Nov. 6: The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is threatened by climate and other changes, and urgent coordinated action is needed to save it, warned experts from five mountain countries of Asia. They said so while addressing a session titled ‘The HKH call to action-maintaining the ‘pulse of the planet’ at the ‘GLF Biodiversity Digital Conference: One World-One Health’ organized by the Global Landscapes Forum.
The One World-One Health concept is of immense significance at this time, as it advocates the role of biodiversity in preventing future crises of global pandemics and climate changel, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) stated in its release.
The Hindu Kush Himalaya is referred to as the ‘pulse of the planet’ since changes to its cryosphere and biodiversity are a barometer of climate and environmental change across the world. It is a key global asset, sustaining the lives and livelihoods of nearly 2 billion people, said ICIMOD.
Speaking at the session, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD, highlighted the uniqueness of the HKH, particularly its rich biocultural diversity and the associated traditional and indigenous knowledge systems that continue to be practiced.
Dr Gyamtsho also touched upon the complex challenges facing the HKH, especially population growth, unsustainable development, migration and climate change, with COVID-19 further compounding these challenges.
In his keynote presentation, Dr Eklabya Sharma, deputy director general, ICIMOD, highlighted the ‘HKH Call to Action’ which provides a roadmap for the region with six urgent actions as pathways to prosperity.
These six urgent actions emphasize greater regional cooperation, recognizing and prioritizing the uniqueness of HKH mountain people, taking concerted action to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees, accelerated actions towards realizing the SDGs, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and facilitating greater data and information sharing.
A panel of speakers from Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan addressed critical questions related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the HKH.
They highlighted the need for water conservation, reversing land degradation, ecosystem restoration involving local communities, particularly the youth, documenting traditional knowledge systems, and strengthening scientific capacity in the HKH.