Norway and International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) today signed a NOK 150 million ($25 million) agreement to
support ICIMOD in resilient and sustainable mountain development for improved
and equitable livelihoods through knowledge and regional cooperation.
The agreement was signed by ambassador of Norway to Nepal Kjell
Tormod Pettersen and director general of ICIMOD Dr David Molden on behalf of
their respective institutions.
The five-year (2013-2017) ‘knowledge for development’ programme
covers the entire Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region in the eight member
countries and focuses on adaptation to change, cryosphere and atmosphere, and
trans-boundary cooperation.
ICIMOD is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge
sharing centre serving the eight member countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. The Centre’s aim is to
influence policy and practice to meet the emerging environmental and livelihood
challenges in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. It also plays an important role
in creating a platform for regional cooperation among the member countries.
The government of Norway supports ICIMOD’s regional programmes
that shed new light on climate change, help mountain and downstream people
adapt to changes, and build capacity for sustainable solutions. These
programmes take a ‘problem-solving approach’ to address ongoing regional and
global changes covering a range of issues.
"Increased knowledge
and capacity is one of the most important tools we have to mitigate the effects
of climate change," Pettersen said, after signing the agreement. "It is
particularly important in the Himalayan region, which is very vulnerable to
melting glaciers and other consequences of climate change which create significant
challenges for food production and access to clean water," he said, adding
that several of the countries in the region experience big problems with air
pollution, both indoors and outdoors. "Black carbon emissions have serious
health consequences, and we need more knowledge about the source of emissions
and possible actions for reducing them."
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