About International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD):
- It is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre working on behalf of the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
- It was formally established and inaugurated on 5 December 1983.
- It is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- It works in and for its eight regional member countries (RMCs) of HKH: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
- Mission: Build and share knowledge that drives regional policy and action and attracts investment that enables the diverse countries and communities of the HKH to transition to greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient development.
- Globalization and climate change have an increasing influence on the stability of fragile mountain ecosystems and the livelihoods of mountain people.
- ICIMOD aims to assist mountain people to understand these changes, adapt to them, and make the most of new opportunities, while addressing upstream-downstream issues.
- It supports regional transboundary programmes through partnerships with regional partner institutions, facilitates the exchange of experience, and serves as a regional knowledge hub.
- It also strengthens networking among regional and global centres of excellence.
Key Facts about Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH):
- It is a vast mountain region that extends 3500 km over eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
- It is considered the Third Pole (after the North and South Poles) and has significant implications for climate.
- It forms the largest area of permanent ice cover outside of the North and South Poles and is home to 4 global biodiversity hotspots.
- It is the source of ten large Asian river systems: the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtse, Yellow River, and Tarim.
- The basins of these rivers provide water to 1.9 billion people, a fourth of the world’s population.
