CONFERÊNCIA | Second International Conference on Cryosphere of the HKH: State of the Knowledge and Hindu Kush Himalayan Cryosphere Data Sharing Policy Workshop

Changes in the cryosphere are key indicators of global warming and can impact downstream water availability and natural hazards in the river basins of the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH). To date, documentation and monitoring of the cryosphere of the HKH region has been fragmented, with a predominance of short-term measurements. In addition, the region is characterized by several distinct climatic regimes challenging cryosphere monitoring and glacio-hydrological measurements.

To better understand the region’s water resources and improve water resource management, there is a need to encourage better coordination and concerted efforts in cryospheric research and data sharing as well as capacity building in the HKH region. Toward this end, ICIMOD brought together national, regional, and international institutions conducting research and data collection to a single forum. The first International Conference on Cryosphere of the Hindu Kush Himalayas: State of the Knowledge and the Hindu Kush Himalayan Cryosphere Data Sharing Policy Workshop were held in Kathmandu in May 2012. The 2012 conference-cum-workshop emphasized the development of a network of governmental organizations, research institutions, regional academic organizations, and well-established local and regional non-governmental organizations for the collection and sharing of cryosphere monitoring data.

Building on the success of the May 2012 conference cum workshop, from 13–16 May, two events on the cryosphere of the Hindu Kush Himalayas are being organized back-to-back:

1. International Conference on the Cryosphere of the Hindu Kush Himalayas: State of the Knowledge
2. Hindu Kush Himalayan Cryosphere Data Sharing Policy Workshop

This conference-cum-workshop will host a diverse group of scientists from the HKH region as well as from Japan, Europe, and North America. In addition to scientific presentations on new research and knowledge in the HKH cryosphere, initial results of ICIMOD’s Cryosphere Monitoring Project and details of ICIMOD’s new Data Policy will also be presented.

The second International Conference on the Cryosphere of the Hindu Kush Himalayas: State of the Knowledge is being organized as a learning and knowledge sharing event involving national and regional stakeholders, international experts, and representatives from other relevant organizations. The conference will act as a platform for sharing knowledge on cryosphere monitoring in the region and beyond among various scientists and for discussion on cryosphere monitoring in the region.

This event will primarily focus on coordination and knowledge sharing in the areas of:

• glacier mass balance measurements in the HKH region;
• satellite-based mapping of snow, ice, and permafrost extent in the HKH region;
• glacio-hydrological measurements; and
• modeling and knowledge in the region.

The Hindu Kush Himalayan Cryosphere Data Sharing Policy Workshop is being organized to facilitate discussion on the development of a policy framework for data sharing in the HKH region. ICIMOD’s newly developed and implemented Data Policy will also be presented, and the workshop will provide an opportunity for institutions working in cryosphere monitoring to share and disseminate data. This workshop will also focus on the progress achieved in archiving and sharing ICIMOD’s data on the cryosphere of the HKH.

This conference-cum-workshop will provide an opportunity for scientists working in cryospheric science and policy makers to share their knowledge, to develop a professional network for cryosphere monitoring in the HKH region, and to initiate the process of data sharing. It is also expected that the event will contribute significantly to further strengthening regional cooperation in cryosphere monitoring and promote regional efforts to better understand the cryosphere of the HKH. It will also contribute to the further development of the Regional Cryosphere Knowledge Hub initiated after the 2012 conference-cum-workshop.

Participants wishing to present a paper at the conference are requested to submit an abstract by 31 March 2014 to Samjwal Ratna Bajracharya (email: sabajracharya@icimod.org). A pre-print of submitted abstracts will be provided to all participants at the conference.