Why is it in the news?
- Asian Development Bank recently launched Building Adaptation and Resilience in the Hindukush Himalayas (HKH) Initiative.
About the Initiative
- The initiative supports Bhutan and Nepal in climate adaptation.
- Aims to provide essential information for effective climate adaptation strategies.
- Facilitates understanding of risks and decision-making on disaster risk reduction.
- Includes measures for adaptation and risk transfer solutions, such as insurance.
About HKH
- Extends from the Hindu Kush valleys in Afghanistan to the hill and mountain systems of Myanmar.
- Home to the largest ice reserves outside of the polar regions.
- Feeds 10 major rivers, including the Ganga, sustaining the livelihoods of billions.
- HKH region is warming faster than the global average.
- 75% of glaciers in Bhutan and Nepal could melt by the end of the century if global temperature rises by 3°C.
- Economic losses in HKH from disasters amounted to $45 billion from 1985 to 2014, the highest in any mountainous region globally.
Initiatives to Protect HKH
- ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) works towards climate-resilient HKH.
- Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP) is coordinated by ICIMOD.
- India’s National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, contributes to HKH preservation.
| About ADB
· Established in 1966 with 68 member countries. · Aims for a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia-Pacific region. · Seeks to eradicate extreme poverty in the region. · Assists members and partners through loans, technical assistance, grants, etc. · Top five shareholders: Japan and the US (each with 15.6% of total shares), China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%). |
