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Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) Assessment
The comprehensive assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region comprises important scientific research on the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable mountain development. The compiled content is based on the collective knowledge of over 350 leading researchers, experts and policymakers, brought together by the Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP) under the coordination of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The first assessment was conducted between 2013 and 2017.

The first HKH Assessment Report consists of 16 chapters, which comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the HKH region, increase the understanding of various drivers of change and their impacts, address critical data gaps and develop a set of evidence-based and actionable policy solutions and recommendations. These are linked to nine mountain priorities for the mountains and people of the HKH consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The first assessment report published by Springer is open access and was launched at International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on 4 February 2019.

Background
The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is one of the greatest mountain systems in the world, encompassing an area of over 4.3 million km2. Outside of the North and South Poles, the region contains the largest area of permanent ice cover in the world, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the ‘Third Pole’. It is the source of 10 major river systems and contains all or parts of four global biodiversity spots, 330 important bird and biodiversity areas, and hundreds of mountain peaks over 6,000 masl. The HKH provide ecosystem services that directly sustain the livelihoods of 240 million people living in the hills and mountains.

Need for Assessment
The HKH region is geologically fragile, with young and rising mountains that are vulnerable even without human interference. The HKH is undergoing rapid change, driven by forces such as climate change, disasters, economic growth, globalization, infrastructure development, land use change, migration, and urbanization. In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report-4 announced that climate change will be the most prominent force of global change in the modern era and that the HKH region is seen as "a data gap" area, lacking consistent long-term monitoring. Changes in the HKH are having and will have major consequences, not only for people living in the region but globally. Actions at national, regional, and international scales are urgently needed to sustain this global asset, focusing on more investments and robust regional cooperation for sustaining mountains, environments, and livelihoods in the HKH and concerted action to keep global level climate change to 1.5 degrees by 2100.

Assessment Process
More than 350 researchers, practitioners, experts, and policy-makers were involved in drafting the HKH Assessment Report. The process involved:
 * 1) Framing of the assessment: A framing workshop and consultations with various experts to define the structure and process of the assessment.
 * 2) Drafting of chapters: Based on the experience of other assessments, a network of people with in-depth knowledge of the region brought together to draft the chapters.
 * 3) Peer review: Rigorous review of the chapter drafts, both by peers and via open review.
 * 4) Dissemination: Communicated to a wide range of audiences using multiple channels to draw attention while the assessment is still in preparation.
 * 5) Engagement with policy makers: Shared with policy-makers in the region through various processes.
 * 6) Development of a summary document: Preparation of a summary for decision-makers based on the results of the process.
 * 7) Publication and launch: The assessment book was published in early 2019.

Key findings

 * 240 million people depend directly on the HKH for their lives and livelihoods. Of which 1/3rd live below the poverty line, 30% do not have enough to eat, and 50% suffer from some form of malnutrition.
 * Temperatures rise faster at higher elevations. A 1.5°C global temperature increase will likely be at least 0.3°C higher in the HKH, and at least 0.7°C higher in the northwest Himalaya and Karakoram
 * In a 1.5°C world, HKH glaciers will lose 36% of their current volume by 2100.
 * The HKH remains energy poor despite its huge hydropower potential of around 500 GW.
 * Many cities in and near the HKH have annual average PM2.5 concentrations almost 10 times higher than the World Health Organization guideline of 10 μg/m3
 * Disaster risk reduction is particularly important in the multi-hazard environment of the HKH. Communities are more vulnerable because of their remoteness, poor accessibility, and lack of emergency communication.
 * Poverty incidence is higher in the mountains and hills of the HKH, one-third compared with the national average of one-fourth.
 * The HKH will face significant risk if decision makers, governments, institutions, and communities continue with business as usual.

HKH Assessment Report
The assessment report consists of 16 chapters, which comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the HKH region, increase understanding of various drivers of change and their impacts, address critical data gaps, and develop a set of evidence-based and actionable policy solutions and recommendations. The assessment addresses the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable mountain development, and will serve as a basis for evidence-based decision-making to safeguard the environment and advance people’s well-being. To provide a road map for action, HIMAP has developed nine mountain priorities consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to contribute to achieving these goals for mountain communities.

Nine Mountain Priorities
Considering the issues, questions, and vision as part of this assessment, the chapters and key messages are drafted in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The “Priorities for Mountains and People of the HKH” reflect the ideals of the SDGs. The nine mountain priorities are:
 * 1) End poverty in all its forms everywhere in the mountains and ensure that women, men, and children of the HKH region lead healthy lives in an inclusive and equitable environment
 * 2) Promote sustainable production systems to assure food security, nutrition security, and income for mountain people, with particular attention to women’s changing roles in agriculture
 * 3) Achieve gender and social equity through inclusive and transformative change in the mountains
 * 4) Ensure year-round secure water supply in the mountains with universal and affordable access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and water for productive purposes
 * 5) Ensure universal access to clean energy in the mountains from sources that are affordable, reliable, and sustainable
 * 6) Halt biodiversity loss and land degradation and sustainably manage forests and other ecosystems in the mountains to enhance ecosystem resilience for sustained flow of services
 * 7) Ensure integration between adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development for the mountains through evidence based decision making
 * 8) Build resilient, equitable, and inclusive mountain communities empowered by economic opportunity and investment in mountain infrastructure and connectivity
 * 9) Promote a mountain-specific agenda for achieving the SDGs through increased regional cooperation among and between mountain regions and nations

Introduction to the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment
The chapter gives an overview of the first Hindu Kush Himalayan Assessment, its rationale and process, and the nine mountain priorities.

Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is among the most diverse regions of the world, environmentally, socioculturally, and economically. Mountain systems are strongly affected by multiple local and global drivers of change in more densely populated lowlands. A comprehensive analysis of these drivers reveals that individual and cumulative impacts are reflected at multiple spatial and temporal scales and are complex in their interactions and impacts. Chapter 2 describes environmental, sociocultural, and economic dimensions of change and seeks to identify the main drivers of change affecting mountain sustainability in the HKH. It outlines and describes trends, as well as existing and potential impacts of a varied and sometimes complex set of drivers of change to mountain sustainability.

Unravelling Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Rapid Warming in the Mountains and Increasing Extremes
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) are sensitive to climate change and variability. Adapting to long- and short-term climate-related problems requires a thorough understanding of changes in climate in the past and possible changes in the future. This chapter presents a broad overview of weather and climate elements pertaining to the HKH. It specifically examines the linkages between large-scale drivers and climate variability in the HKH, past and present regional climate variations, and likely future regional climate projections using high resolution regional climate models suitable for the complex topography of the HKH. Chapter 3 aims to support HKH countries in building resilience and adaptive capacity in the face of climate-related hazards and in integrating climate change adaptation measures into national policies, strategies, and plans.

Exploring Futures of the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Scenarios and Pathways
Long-term future scenarios need to be developed to illuminate future uncertainties for the Hindu Kush Himalaya and enable short term development actions to be consistent with longer-term societal and environmental transformation pathways. Long-term scenarios are also needed to ensure independence from present policies and to create more flexibility or nonlinear changes and space for identifying creative opportunities. Considering the lack of such long term regional level scenarios for the region, this chapter attempts to create qualitative HKH regional level developmental scenarios (2080) and prepare alternative pathways toward prosperity beyond the current developmental plans of 2030, more specifically to set clear goals for 2050 based on a 2080 prosperous future scenario for the HKH region.

Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
The ecosystems of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) exhibit high levels of diversity and heterogeneity, partly in response to high climatic variability and topography. This chapter focuses on the key thematic areas of biodiversity and ecosystem services and illustrates the trends observed across the HKH. This chapter contextualizes the state of the region’s biodiversity and ecosystems, highlights the status and trends in biodiversity and ecosystem services, documents the current state of socio-ecological systems, highlights conservation and management practices, and identifies gaps and suggests strategic directions for mountain ecosystem sustainability.

Meeting Future Energy Needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is interconnected biophysically and socioeconomically across sectors, affecting energy supply and demand, their underlying drivers, and solutions to energy poverty. Mountain specificities such as inaccessibility, fragility, and marginality further lead to different manifestations of energy demand patterns and trends. The challenge for the HKH is to simultaneously address the issues of energy poverty, energy security, and climate change while attaining multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals. The growing sectoral interdependencies in energy, climate, water, and food make it crucial for policy makers to understand the cross-sectoral policy linkages, and their effects at multiple scales. This chapter critically examines the energy outlook of the HKH in its diverse aspects, including demand and- supply patterns; national policies, programmes, and institutions; emerging challenges and opportunities; and possible transformational pathways for sustainable energy.

Status and Change of the Cryosphere in the Extended Hindu Kush Himalaya Region
The cryosphere encompasses frozen water in its many forms — glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, snow, permafrost, and river and lake ice — and is a key freshwater resource. Industry, agriculture, and hydroelectric power generation rely on timely and sufficient delivery of water in major river systems. Changes in the cryospheric system may thus pose challenges for these sectors and for disaster risk reduction in the extended Hindu Kush Himalaya. This chapter summarizes the current status of cryospheric components in the extended HKH, examines patterns and impacts of change, and synthesizes cryospheric change projections in response to representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios.

Water in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Water security has emerged as a subset of human security — one that has been raising serious concern throughout the early part of the 21st century. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), commonly described as the “water tower of Asia,” plays an important role in ensuring water, food, energy, and environmental security for much of the continent. This chapter takes stock of current scientific knowledge on the availability of water resources in the HKH; the varied components of its water supply; the impact of climate change on future water availability; the components of water demand; and policy, institutional, and governance challenges for water security in the region.

Food and Nutrition Security in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Unique Challenges and Niche Opportunities
There is widespread food and nutrition insecurity in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Despite some progress in reducing hunger, millions of children suffer from stunting, wasting, and malnutrition. The nature and causes of food insecurity in mountain areas differ from those in the plains as a result of differences in the physical environment, transportation and communication facilities, remoteness, and seasonality. Addressing this challenge has become increasingly complicated because of rapid socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental changes. This chapter aims to understand the causes of food and nutrition insecurity in its four dimensions – food availability, accessibility, utilization and stability – and to suggest actionable policy measures to improve food and nutrition security in the HKH.

Air Pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Air pollution has large impacts on the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), affecting not just the health of people and ecosystems, but also climate, the cryosphere, monsoon patterns, water availability, agriculture, and incomes. The HKH region is fragile and rapidly changing. While the outcome of the interplay of complex drivers is difficult to predict, it will have major consequences. That holds true for air pollution as well. The HKH receives significant amounts of air pollution from within and outside of the region, and transboundary pollution from other parts of Asia. This chapter surveys the evidence on regional air pollution and considers options for reducing it, while underlining the need for regional collaboration in mitigation efforts.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Building Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Mountain development and disaster risk are inherently linked, as many mountain settlements are located on unstable mountain slopes that are prone to landslide and erosion, or on river terraces and alluvial fans that are susceptible to debris flows and floods. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is one of the most fragile and hazard-prone mountain regions in the world. Mountain communities are threatened by numerous risks from natural hazards and a changing risk pattern. Disaster risk reduction is particularly important in mountain areas for many reasons, including the multi-hazard environment, land use pressure, and the effects of climate change. Building disaster resilience in the mountains requires decision making that is informed by the best available studies of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

Understanding and Tackling Poverty and Vulnerability in Mountain Livelihoods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
This chapter critically reviews the existing knowledge on livelihoods, poverty, and vulnerability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). The characteristics of mountain areas or ‘mountain specificities’ uniquely condition the lives and development of people. While inaccessibility, fragility, and marginality act as constraints on development, the abundant biological diversity, ecological niches, and adaptation mechanisms present windows of development opportunities for mountain people. Mountain specificities need a distinct frame of analysis from what is used in the lowlands. This chapter explores the changing contexts of HKH mountain economies and livelihoods, detailing their specific conditions and challenges, as well as of the determinants and challenges in measuring and addressing poverty and coping with vulnerability to climate change.

Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Stronger Action Urgently Needed
This chapter focuses primarily on analyzing ongoing adaptation activities and identifying common patterns of adaptation response across the eight countries in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. It distinguishes between adaptation responses that are planned by governments or by non-state actors, and those that are local, autonomous, and unplanned. Further, it asks whether the planned responses are sufficiently knowledgeable of autonomous adaptation practices. It also considers the extent of policy support for these practices as well as the need to critically evaluate practices and results, and identifies solutions that could work to better connect adaptation science, policy, and practice.

In the Shadows of the Himalayan Mountains: Persistent Gender and Social Exclusion in Development
Climate change and extreme weather events in combination with socioeconomic processes have an especially severe impact on people living in remote mountain areas of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). However, little is known about how changes in climate will impact the lives, livelihoods, and resources of diverse communities in the region. Given the diversity of people based on caste, class, gender and ethnicity, the impacts of climate change will not be the same for all. This chapter highlights intersections between gender and social factors through case studies that demonstrate the complex workings of gender relations in the context of climate change in the HKH. Specifically, these case studies highlight the unique, embodied experiences of climate change and how gender and social power relations affect climate interventions.

Migration in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Drivers, Consequences, and Governance
Migration has become an integral part of current global development processes. In the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), migration continues to be a significant livelihood strategy. Population movement is widely perceived as a challenge in the HKH. However, there is a growing understanding that it can also open up new opportunities for development. This chapter attempts to understand the dynamics of internal and international labour migration in this region, consolidate the current state of knowledge on migration, and where possible, collate mountain specific information on migration. It concentrates on three areas of migration research: drivers, consequences, and governance of labour migration. It explores the countries’ overall migration experience and, where possible, highlights findings specific to mountain areas of the HKH.

Governance: Key for Environmental Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Environmental governance holds the key to the future of sustainable development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Broadly, it denotes the ways in which formal and informal institutions act to manage the environment in light of various social, cultural, economic, and ecological values. It also involves equitable sharing of benefits, costs, and risks. Environmental resources in the region are diverse and include forests, water, biodiversity, and agriculture. The governance of these resources involves a complex ensemble of policies, institutions, policy-making practices, and implementation procedures. This chapter documents the current state of governance and describes emerging trends in environmental policy and practice. It identifies both gaps and opportunities in policy-making, in regulatory arrangements and enforceability, and in adapting environmental governance to address climate change impacts.

Further readings

 * "The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment, Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People HKH Assessment report" Philippus Wester, Arabinda Mishra, Aditi Mukherji, Arun Bhakta Shrestha https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-92288-1


 * Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP) http://www.hi-map.org/


 * International Center for Integrated Mountain Development - HIMAP Regional Programme https://www.icimod.org/himap


 * HKH Assessment Chapter Briefs http://lib.icimod.org/record/34449


 * Chapter 1 Brief - Introduction to the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34449


 * Chapter 2 Brief - Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34448


 * Chapter 3 Brief - Unravelling Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Rapid Warming in the Mountains and Increasing Extremes (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34447


 * Chapter 4 Brief - Exploring Futures of the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Scenarios and Pathways (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34446


 * Chapter 5 Brief - Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34445


 * Chapter 6 Brief - Meeting Future Energy Needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34444


 * Chapter 7 Brief - Status and Change of the Cryosphere in the Extended Hindu Kush Himalaya Region (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34443


 * Chapter 8 Brief - Water in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34442


 * Chapter 9 Brief - Food and Nutrition Security in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Unique Challenges and Niche Opportunities (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34441


 * Chapter 10 Brief - Air Pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34440


 * Chapter 11 Brief - Disaster Risk Reduction and Building Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34439


 * Chapter 12 Brief - Understanding and Tackling Poverty and Vulnerability in Mountain Livelihoods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34438


 * Chapter 13 Brief - Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Stronger Action Urgently Needed (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34437


 * Chapter 14 Brief - in the Shadows of the Himalayan Mountains: Persistent Gender and Social Exclusion in Development (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34436


 * Chapter 15 Brief - Migration in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Drivers, Consequences, and Governance (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34435


 * Chapter 16 Brief - Governance: Key for Environmental Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (2019) http://lib.icimod.org/record/34434


 * "Introduction to the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment" Eklabya Sharma, David Molden, Atiq Rahman, Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Linxiu Zhang, Surendra Pratap Singh et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_1


 * "Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Yanfen Wang, Ning Wu, Clemens Kunze, Ruijun Long, Manfred Perlik https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_2


 * "Unravelling Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Rapid Warming in the Mountains and Increasing Extremes" Raghavan Krishnan, Arun B. Shrestha, Guoyu Ren, Rupak Rajbhandari, Sajjad Saeed, Jayanarayanan Sanjay et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_3


 * "Exploring Futures of the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Scenarios and Pathways" Joyashree Roy, Eddy Moors, M. S. R. Murthy, S. V. R. K. Prabhakar, Bahadar Nawab Khattak, Peili Shi et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_4


 * "Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Jianchu Xu, Ruchi Badola, Nakul Chettri, Ram P. Chaudhary, Robert Zomer, Bharat Pokhrel et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_5


 * "Meeting Future Energy Needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Shobhakar Dhakal, Leena Srivastava, Bikash Sharma, Debajit Palit, Brijesh Mainali, Rabindra Nepal et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_6


 * "Status and Change of the Cryosphere in the Extended Hindu Kush Himalaya Region" Tobias Bolch, Joseph M. Shea, Shiyin Liu, Farooq M. Azam, Yang Gao, Stephan Gruber et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_7


 * "Water in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Christopher A. Scott, Fan Zhang, Aditi Mukherji, Walter Immerzeel, Daanish Mustafa, Luna Bharati https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_8


 * "Food and Nutrition Security in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Unique Challenges and Niche Opportunities" Golam Rasul, Abdul Saboor, Prakash C. Tiwari, Abid Hussain, Nilabja Ghosh, Ganesh B. Chettri https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_9


 * "Air Pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Eri Saikawa, Arnico Panday, Shichang Kang, Ritesh Gautam, Eric Zusman, Zhiyuan Cong et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_10


 * "Disaster Risk Reduction and Building Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Ramesh Ananda Vaidya, Mandira Singh Shrestha, Nusrat Nasab, Deo Raj Gurung, Nagami Kozo, Neera Shrestha Pradhan et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_11


 * "Understanding and Tackling Poverty and Vulnerability in Mountain Livelihoods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Giovanna Gioli, Ganesh Thapa, Fawad Khan, Purnamita Dasgupta, Dev Nathan, Netra Chhetri et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_12


 * "Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Stronger Action Urgently Needed" Arabinda Mishra, Arivudai Nambi Appadurai, Dhrupad Choudhury, Bimal Raj Regmi, Ulka Kelkar, Mozaharul Alam et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_13


 * "In the Shadows of the Himalayan Mountains: Persistent Gender and Social Exclusion in Development" Bernadette P. Resurrección, Chanda Gurung Goodrich, Yiching Song, Aditya Bastola, Anjal Prakash, Deepa Joshi et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_14


 * "Migration in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Drivers, Consequences, and Governance" Tasneem Siddiqui, Ram B. Bhagat, Soumyadeep Banerjee, Chengfang Liu, Bandita Sijapati, Rashid Memon et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_15


 * "Governance: Key for Environmental Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" Hemant Raj Ojha, Rucha Ghate, Lam Dorji, Ankita Shrestha, Dinesh Paudel, Andrea Nightingale et al. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1_16