The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has invited five experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development to contribute to the Seventh Assessment Report, which is a key input into international negotiations to tackle climate change.
The ICIMOD experts invited for the report are Bhupesh Adhikary, ICIMOD Climate Action Lead, Neha Rai, Head of Strategic Results, Partnerships and Business Development, Abid Hussain, Economies Lead, Amina Maharjan, Senior Livelihoods and Migration Specialist, and Parth Sarathi Mahapatra, Intervention Manager, Air Pollution Mitigation.
“The invitation to serve as an IPCC author is a huge privilege, and we are honoured that ICIMOD’s experts have secured these positions in recognition of their great expertise,” said Izabella Koziell, Deputy Director General, ICIMOD.
“Crucially, this strong representation will ensure that the issues and the Hindu Kush Himalaya region ICIMOD represents will secure appropriate prominence within the world’s most authoritative climate report.”
The authors are among just 664 chosen from an application pool of 3,771 experts and will serve as lead authors of the following chapters: Adhikary: Framing, methods and knowledge sources (Chapter 1, Working Group I), Rai: Metrics, methods (Technical Guidelines for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation including Indicators, Metrics and Methodologies, Working Group II), Hussain: Asia (Chapter 8, Working Group II), Maharjan: Poverty, Livelihoods, Mobility and Fragility (Chapter 20, Working Group II), Mahapatra: Transport and Mobility Services and Systems (Chapter 11, Working Group III)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments concerning climate change, its implications and risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation strategies. It has 195 member states.
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IPCC reports are produced on approximately five to seven-year cycles, with hundreds of the world’s foremost researchers volunteering their expertise and time.
Working Group I assesses the physical science aspects of climate change. Working Group II looks at impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability to climate change.
Working Group III assesses the mitigation of climate change.
Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors draft the different chapters for three Working Groups’ contributions, and revise these based on comments submitted during two rounds of reviews by experts and governments.
“Every IPCC assessment marks a leap forward in human knowledge,” Adhikary said.
“But this -upcoming report is set to break new ground in two hugely significant areas. Firstly, we are setting out to ensure we integrate traditional and Indigenous knowledge – something scientists have been circling for years. Secondly, the report will harness the extraordinary advances we’ve seen in technology – especially artificial intelligence – in everything from earth observation to the assessment of primary research.
“While these feel like two opposite ends of the spectrum, embracing both ancient and new technology holds immense promise. And it’s clear that we need to draw on all the available tools and technologies at this moment of climate crisis.”
“With adaptation gaps increasing and unmet mitigation targets over time, this assessment is even more important to provide evidence for urgency of action and protect mountain communities and landscapes,” said Maharjan.
“Mountain regions are among the most vulnerable to climate change, yet the evidence of its impacts on these ecosystems and communities is often underrepresented in global assessments. As an author of this assessment, I see a critical opportunity to amplify robust evidence on the unique challenges faced by mountain livelihoods and ecosystems. More than just highlighting problems, this engagement will also allow us to propose context-specific, viable solutions that can safeguard these vital ecosystems and the millions who depend on them”, Hussain said.
“With the growing imperative for climate mitigation, it is crucial to advance strategies that drive transformative, science-based, sector-specific solutions, providing actionable insights to inform effective policies for a sustainable future,” said Mahapatra.
The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region stretches 3,500km across Asia, spanning eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Encompassing high-altitude mountain ranges, mid-hills, and plains, the zone is vital for the food, water, and energy security of up to two billion people and is a habitat for countless irreplaceable species. It is also acutely fragile, and vulnerable to the impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.