Thinker & doer on resilience, food systems, climate change & sustainable development. Work at @IFAD. Views my own (or at least that's what I like to think).
Floods. Droughts. Landslides. Heat.
We’re responding faster, but are we building smarter?
This op-ed by Bandana Shakya published in @omanobserver argues that nature-led solutions from the Himalayan region offer a practical path to climate resilience.
Read here: https://t.co/Hb8xkQk1Km
#OmanObserver #JournoCherie #SG2 #NBS #NatureBasedSolution
Crop burning dominates the conversation, but this new study by ICIMOD highlights an invisible driver in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, ammonia released from nitrogenous fertiliser used on farms.
Ammonia reacts with other pollutants to form secondary particles that constitute a substantial and spatially variable proportion of urban PM2.5 during severe winter smog across the IGP-HF, with the GAINS model estimating fertiliser-related ammonia contributions peaking at 7.0–7.6 µg/m³ during intensive agricultural periods.
The report highlights actionable policy pathways. Find out more: https://t.co/PAfuqAvVYb
#SG1 #Air
Calling all journalists!
Join ICIMOD’s journalist training and strengthen your reporting on the complex realities of climate change and migration in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
Learn how to demystify climate science, challenge myths and misconceptions around climate-related mobility, question dominant migration narratives, and craft nuanced, evidence-based stories.
Training dates: 1-3 July 2026
Submission deadline: 26 May 2026
Apply now: https://t.co/SQTBBZ63Sp
This work is funded through SUCCESS project by UK aid from the UK government and by Canada’s International Development Research Centre, as part of Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) research programme.
#ClimateStorytelling #CLimateAdaptationREsilience #SUCCESS #ICIMOD #SG2
@FCDOGovUK@IDRC_CRDI
We are pleased to announce the 12 winners of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE 2.0)
From sustainable chocolates to digital insurance, these startups are tackling pressing environmental and socio-economic challenges across the HKH region.
Chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants from Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts), Bhutan, and India (Himalayan states) and Nepal, the 12 winners were recognised at today's Leadership Academy by Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD, alongside H.E. Rob Fenn, the British Ambassador to Nepal, and the CEO of the Global Resilience Partnership Jesper Hörnberg, each winner receives mentoring, leadership development, and prizes from USD 5,000 to 25,000.
Congratulations to this year’s winners. We look forward to seeing your solutions creating a lasting impact in the HKH region.
HKH-ICE 2.0 is an initiative of ICIMOD's Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) funded by UK International Development.
Learn more about the winners here - https://t.co/wiajKUmodr
#HKHICE #ClimateResilience #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #HKH #MountainSolutions
@UKinNepal
What does a Hindu Kush Himalaya startup solution actually look like?
Our 12 winners of Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE 2.0) show us their product and their idea.
From sustainable chocolates to digital insurance. From Bangladesh to Nepal. These entrepreneurs are developing scalable and market-ready solutions that transform
resilience of mountain communities.
HKH-ICE 2.0 is an initiative of ICIMOD's Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP) funded by the UK International Development.
Learn more about the winners here: https://t.co/wiajKUmW2Z
#HKHICE #ClimateResilience #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #HKH #MountainSolutions #HIREAP @UKinNepal@grp_resilience
The recently published book, Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems (Elsevier), has a dedicated chapter on the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Using four case studies – from the HKH, Gilgit-Baltistan, Altai, and Nepal – the chapter presents a regional perspective on the major issues and challenges impacting people and #ecosystems.
In their paper on “Safeguarding the Third Pole: Problems, challenges and possible solutions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya”, Sunita Chaudhary (@SunitaMQ) , ICIMOD Ecosystem Services Specialist and Biodiversity Lead, Abid Hussain (@WaqasAbid_Econ), ICIMOD Senior Economist and Food Systems Specialist, Sanjeev Bhuchar(@SanjeevBhuchar), ICIMOD Senior Watershed Management Specialist, and Santosh Nepal (@SantoshNepal_) from the International Water Management Institute discuss the complex and interrelated issues facing the HKH, focusing on the nexus of #biodiversity, #ClimateChange, food, and springs.
Using an integrative literature review, they discuss the varied and interlinked impacts of climate and environmental change, the challenges they pose for risk management, and the proactive multiscale and multisectoral responses needed to address these challenges.
https://t.co/FIPEUL6AW5
@IWMI_
My latest book is published! For a nuanced understanding of gender, critical take on resilience and layered understanding of infrastructure, aspirations and violence in the city, please get a copy!
https://t.co/N3DaqaCnSh
In the heart of the #HinduKushHimalaya lies a staggering statistic: 100 million people are at risk as 9 million #springs are on the verge of vanishing or drying up.
This poses a grave risk to our essential #water sources, leaving communities in turmoil.
How can we prevent this impending #disaster? Our colleagues @SamuelT67475450 & @DhakalMdhakal into this critical issue in their op-ed 👇
#WWWeek @siwi_www
"Hundreds of #springs are drying out from #ClimateChange & human activities, posing a threat to mountain communities, especially the marginalised.
As development practitioners or decision makers, we must act urgently together to safeguard the flowing springs and rejuvenate those that have either dried or are drying."
- @SanjeevBhuchar, Senior Watershed Management Specialist, ICIMOD
#WWWeek #HKHSprings #NatureBasedSolutions #HIREAP @FCDOClimate@siwi_www@moefcc@MOFENepal@UKinNepal
Springs are a part of #groundwater systems.
They are merely the visible source of the invisible groundwater resource, and therefore, it is important to integrate hydrogeology - the science of groundwater, in any #spring conservation and management efforts.
- @KarishmaKhadk14, Springshed Management Associate, ICIMOD
#WWWeek #HKHSprings #Naturebasedsolutions #HIREAP
@FCDOClimate@siwi_www@moefcc@MOFENepal@UKinNepal
Harvesting #rainwater, building reservoirs, buying water – they are just quick fixes for dealing with the ongoing #WaterCrisis.
It's time we set our eyes on long-term solutions like #NatureBasedSolutions (NbS).
Springshed management is a prime example – it recharges aquifers, revives #springs, and brings environmental, economic, and socio-cultural gains.
- @bandanashakya12, Action Area Coordinator, Restoring and Regenerating Landscapes, ICIMOD
#WWWeek #HKHSprings #HIREAP
@FCDOClimate@siwi_www@moefcc@MOFENepal@UKinNepal
Upala Shivani Dhara – a major but dwindling #spring, supplies water to around 80 households in the Moldhar village.
Guided by the success story of spring revival in Kalsi, Dehradun, Suman Devi led her community to build more than 700 toe trenches across 3.5 hectares.
The result?
The water discharge increased by 1 litre per minute by December.
Shifting mindsets through co-learning visits and #WomenLeadership has proven to play a crucial role in driving spring revival in #Nepal and #India.
#HKHSprings #WWWeek #HIREAP #Uttarakhand
@FCDOClimate@siwi_www@moefcc@MOFENepal@UKinNepal
Across the region, ICIMOD, communities and local government have been coming together to bring springs back to life, deploying nature-based solutions and transforming the ways #water is managed.
This #WorldWaterWeek, we are calling for more local government decision-makers and communities to join us to #BringSpringsBack.
👉https://t.co/khFPkVpg8S
#WWWeek #HKHSprings #NatureBasedSolutions #HIREAP
@FCDOClimate@siwi_www@moefcc@MOFENepal@UKinNepal
Very happy to see this event is happening: #agroecology and youths have key roles to play in #climate-resilient, sustainable agri-food systems that can deliver food security on a sub-1.5 degree pathway.
“In the #HKH region, who is usually fetching water from the springs? It is mainly #women, often accompanied by their children.”
- @SanjeevBhuchar, ICIMOD
Women possess a wealth of knowledge about #springs, yet their perspectives are often left out of decision-making processes.
Having women involved adds a comprehensive dimension needed for #sustainable management & conservation of springs.
#HKHSprings #WWWeek #HIREAP
@Online_khabar@FCDOClimate@siwi_www@moefcc@MOFENepal@UKinNepal
El país está en deuda con la memoria de nuestros defensores ambientales; #EscazúAhoraColombia impulsa la protección efectiva para ellos. #ColombiaPotenciaMundialDeLaVida lanzará una estrategia integral para cuidar la vida de líderes y lideresas que defienden el territorio 🌍 🍃💦