KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 3
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a scheme to assist in assessing and managing climate and disaster risks in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the ADB stated that it would conduct a thorough analysis of multi-hazard risks, including landslides, earthquakes, and floods, including those resulting from glacier lake outbursts, and vulnerabilities in Bhutan and Nepal.
The statement explained that this initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of the two governments in conducting risk assessments in priority river basins. These assessments will be used to develop early warning systems and risk management options for future infrastructure development.
Notably, the Hindu Kush Himalayas, home to the largest ice reserves outside the polar regions, nourish 10 major rivers, supporting the livelihoods of 240 million people in the mountains and over 1.6 billion people downstream.
Given that the region is warming faster than the global average, if global temperature rises reach 3°C, it is projected that 75% of glaciers in Bhutan and Nepal could melt by the end of this century. This would impose unprecedented stress on water access, threaten food and energy security, and result in significant biodiversity loss.
ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa remarked, "The roof of the world is melting. The Hindu Kush Himalayas region is critical to the well-being and economic security of more than a billion people across our region. This initiative will help equip Bhutan and Nepal with essential information and enable them to invest in effective climate adaptation, which is now critical to managing climate risk."
Additionally, economic losses resulting from disasters in the Hindu Kush Himalayas region totaled $45 billion from 1985 to 2014, surpassing those of any other mountain region. The increasing frequency and intensity of disaster events since then have elevated economic losses and the number of people affected.
ADB's assistance will enable governments, private sectors, and local communities to comprehend the risks they face, facilitating decisions on disaster risk reduction, adaptation measures, and risk transfer solutions, including insurance.
The technical assistance will pave the way for advancing knowledge across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region on climate-resilient investment planning, development, and risk management."
