In the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills (IGP-HF), hundreds of millions of people breathe hazardous air. The IGP-HF spans HI-REAP project countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and also Pakistan. Air pollution is sometimes called ‘the invisible killer’ because the fine particle contaminants suspended in the air are generally not visible to the naked eye, but pose severe health and environmental risks. It severely impacts lungs, heart health, and brain function, while also worsening climate change, disrupting weather patterns, accelerating glacier melt, and threatening ecosystems and water resources.

 

Addressing this crisis requires urgent, and collaborative action. To that end, a dedicated team from ICIMOD is forming a regional working group of experts and scientists from government, academia, and concerned agencies from both the IGP-HF and across the wider Hindu Kush Himalaya region to develop air quality management strategies, to assess and identify research gaps and needs.

To highlight the gravity of the issue, HI-REAP produced a series of videos that explore the health impacts of air pollution, its connection to climate change, lessons from China’s fight against air pollution, and the need for clean energy and investment.

We recently published two insightful blogs that delve deeper into the air pollution crisis. The first blog highlights the severe air pollution crisis in the HKH region and emphasises the need for an air pollution revolution, calling for urgent action from all sectors including science, policy and industry.

The other blog discusses how pollution in one country can easily spread to neighbouring countries and highlights the critical need for regional harmonisation to tackle transboundary air pollution in the HKH region.

We are committed to building capacity and resilience in Asia as part of our commitment to the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) initiative. On the topic of air, we brought together officials from our focus countries, researchers, and academics to engage them in two important workshops on:

During my tenure as the Programme Coordinator at HI-REAP, we placed a strong emphasis on developing comprehensive roadmaps and change pathways to ensure sustainable and impactful long-term results. We raised awareness of the urgent need for increased investment in scaling Nature based Solutions(NbS) and addressing the challenges of air pollution, particularly through active engagement at the Nepal Investment Summit, the UN’s Conference of Parties (COPs) on climate change and biodiversity, the Bhutan Agrifood Trade and Investment Forum (BATIF) and other platforms both at the national and regional level.

HI-REAP further prioritised exploring strategic partnerships with nationally mandated institutions and CARA partners to leverage resources and amplify impact. This included broadening the focus of NbS from the revival of springs for water security to developing rangelands, agro-ecosystems, and the bioeconomy to create co-benefits for mountain people and their environment with a strong emphasis on air quality management as a key component of resilience building. Additionally, we worked to incentivise innovative business ideas through the HKH-ICE initiative, encouraging new approaches to sustainable development in mountain regions.

To help disseminate the findings of our research to a wider audience, we produced and uploaded a video in our website about our work on critical water stress caused by the drying and declining flow of springs:

The video explores the findings of a springshed management initiative in Kavrepalanchok district in central Nepal, highlighting critical water stress caused by the drying and declining flow of springs. Covering 743 sq. km, the study mapped 5,689 water sources, revealing that 27% have dried and 58% of active springs show reduced flow. Supported by HI-REAP, this citizen science effort trained local communities to document these changes, underscoring the urgent need for action to preserve vital water resources in the face of natural disasters, droughts, and development pressures.

We made significant strides in advancing the mountain agenda at the UN’s global biodiversity conference, CBD COP 16 in Cali, Colombia in October 2024, and at the UN’s climate change conference, COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024. At COP 16, our advocacy helped promote mountain-specific targets in CBD discussions, with stronger integration of mountain concerns into national biodiversity strategies, and the Green Cover Index (GCIM) highlighted as a key indicator. The GCIM measures changes of the green vegetation in mountain areas – i.e. forests, shrubs, trees, pastureland, crop land, etc. – to provide indications on the status of conservation of their environment. We showcased our work at over 20 events, strengthened networks through over 25 bilateral meetings, and supported our focus countries, Bhutan and Nepal, in negotiations. At COP 29, we built on the momentum from COP 28 by co-hosting the International Expert Dialogue on Mountains, contributing to the Expert Dialogue of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SB60), and advocating for HKH priorities in key negotiations. Our efforts strengthened partnerships, increased ICIMOD’s visibility, and ensured mountains were reflected in key decisions, including in the COP 29 Global Goal on Adaptation (GCA).

For more detailed information about our projects, achievements, and initiatives, please visit our website: www.icimod.org/hi-reap/ 

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to reach out to us at hireap@icimod.org