Search Climate Insights Directory

The Glaciers to Farms (G2F) Program is a 10-year, multi-sectoral adaptation initiative designed to address the impacts of glacial retreat and water insecurity in Central and West Asia. Requesting USD 250 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to leverage a total of USD 3.5 billion, the program integrates science-based risk planning, investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, capacity building for agricultural MSMEs, and a regional knowledge platform. It targets 13.6 million direct beneficiaries and 31.5 million indirect beneficiaries, focusing on the Naryn, Pyanj, Kura-Aras, and Swat river basins. Key interventions include multi-hazard early warning systems, nature-based solutions for watershed restoration, and the development of innovative finance mechanisms like sustainability-linked bonds.

The document highlights the 2025 International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, detailing how human-caused climate change is accelerating glacial melt. It emphasizes the role of glaciers as 'water towers' providing freshwater for billions and warns of increasing risks from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), particularly in Asia and the Americas. The text notes that glaciers in 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are losing an average of 58 billion tonnes of ice annually, with a third projected to vanish within 25 years.

The document outlines an ESMP for the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) under the Bhutan for Life (BFL) project. It focuses on the construction of a Cryosphere Monitoring and Research Base Camp at Thanaphu and the installation of three Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in high-altitude regions. The plan identifies minor risks related to waste, dust, and occupational health and safety, providing specific mitigation strategies and monitoring schedules to ensure compliance with both Royal Government of Bhutan laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures.

Nepal is highly vulnerable to climate change, facing increasing frequencies of floods, landslides, and droughts. The government aims for net-zero emissions by 2045 and net-negative emissions by 2050. To achieve this, Nepal has developed a GCF country programme featuring a pipeline of 14 projects focusing on e-mobility, climate-resilient agriculture, and watershed management. The document details the institutional arrangements for GCF engagement, including the role of the Ministry of Finance as the National Designated Authority, and identifies significant financing gaps, estimating a need for USD 49.4 billion by 2030 to meet NDC and NAP targets.

The ESMP outlines the environmental and social safeguards for constructing a Flood Warning and Cryosphere Research Facility in Lunana, Bhutan, with a budget of Nu. 18,230,000. It identifies minor risks including noise, dust, and waste, and mandates mitigation measures such as site watering and restricted working hours (0700 to 1900). The plan emphasizes compliance with both Royal Government of Bhutan laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures, particularly regarding land user compensation and community consultation. It also provides detailed occupational health and safety (OHS) standards for workers, including facility design, personal protective equipment, and accommodation requirements.

The Hindu Kush Himalayas, known as the 'Third Pole', are experiencing rapid glacier retreat due to climate change, leading to an increase in the number and volume of glacial lakes. This has heightened the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which often present transboundary threats, as seen in the 2016 Bhote Koshi River flood where a lake breach in Tibet caused $70 million in damages in Nepal. Despite the high risk, early-warning systems are inadequate and cross-border cooperation remains limited, although initiatives like the Hindu Kush Himalaya Glaciers and Mountain Economy Network and the Koshi Basin Initiative aim to improve regional resilience.

The proposal seeks USD 396,803 to address post-accreditation capacity gaps in the NRSP and update Pakistan's outdated 2017 GCF Country Programme to better align climate investments with current national priorities.

The report argues that climate change acts as a risk multiplier in the India-China rivalry, increasing the likelihood of conflict through material threats and perceptual risks. Key vulnerabilities include increased flooding in the Brahmaputra River Basin, which may be misconstrued as Chinese water manipulation, and warming in the western border region that could facilitate more frequent military patrols and clashes. The study also highlights the security implications of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) dam projects on the Indus and Brahmaputra rivers. To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend establishing granular data-sharing agreements, joint early warning systems for natural disasters, and long-term river basin treaties involving all riparian states.

The report finds that climate change will act as a risk multiplier in the India-China rivalry, increasing the likelihood of conflict through material environmental changes and perceptual misinterpretations. Key risks include increased flooding in the Brahmaputra River Basin, which may be misconstrued as Chinese water manipulation, and warming in the western border region that could facilitate more frequent military patrols and clashes. The study also highlights the role of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) dam projects on the Indus and Brahmaputra rivers as sources of regional instability and distrust. To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend institutionalizing data-sharing, establishing joint early warning systems for natural disasters, and pursuing long-term river basin treaties.

The report identifies that poor Tarai and Hill Dalits, along with marginalized indigenous peoples, are the most vulnerable to climate-induced disasters in Nepal. It highlights a critical lack of GEDSI-disaggregated data for GLOFs and notes that women suffer from 'time poverty' due to increased household workloads caused by climate change. Institutional findings reveal that local planning is often dominated by political power, sidelining marginalized groups and rendering women's leadership roles largely tokenistic. The report recommends establishing intersectional stakeholder definitions, promoting women-friendly climate technologies, and integrating mandatory GESI quotas into project activities.

The document argues that while climate change is unlikely to be the proximate cause of war between India and Pakistan, it acts as a risk multiplier by increasing the volatility of river flows in the Indus River Basin (IRB). This volatility heightens mutual distrust regarding dam operations and water manipulation, placing unprecedented stress on the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The author suggests that the IWT's framework of partitioning water is inadequate for modern climate challenges and recommends a shift toward joint sustainable management to prevent natural calamities from triggering armed conflict in a nuclear-armed region.

The project aims to enhance Bhutan's capacity for impact-based forecasting and early warning services to protect vulnerable populations and climate-sensitive sectors. It proposes a total investment of USD 26 million, with USD 10 million requested from the Green Climate Fund and USD 16 million in co-financing from the Royal Government of Bhutan. The initiative focuses on upgrading monitoring infrastructure, developing a central climate database and decision support systems, and building the capacity of the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) and end-users to utilize climate information for planning and disaster risk management.

The AHM Project implemented an integrated model of biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation across 10 demonstration sites in Bhutan, India, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan. Key achievements include bringing 1.4 million hectares of land under improved management, training 26,966 people in conservation and adaptation, and supporting the 12-nation Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Program. The project focused on reducing threats like poaching and pasture degradation while addressing climate-driven risks to water security and rural livelihoods through interventions such as water-smart irrigation, predator-proof corrals, and alternative income generation.

The document outlines a $63 million project in Nepal designed to mitigate the risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and other climate-induced hazards. It proposes strengthening the institutional capacity of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) and other agencies to provide risk information and early warning services. Key interventions include the lowering of four high-risk glacial lakes, the construction of check dams, and the implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) through community forestry. The project aims to benefit 327,500 people, particularly indigenous communities, by integrating centralized and community-based early warning systems and developing sustainable financing mechanisms for monitoring networks.

Nepal is currently in the formulation phase of its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), utilizing an integrated, multidisciplinary approach across seven thematic areas and two cross-cutting issues. The process emphasizes inclusivity, stakeholder engagement, and scientific rigor, building upon previous frameworks like the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and Local Adaptation Plans for Action (LAPA). Key challenges include aligning the NAP with ongoing government restructuring and ensuring meaningful participation of marginalized groups. Future priorities focus on engaging provincial and local governments, developing a formal NAP framework, synthesizing local vulnerability data, and creating a comprehensive financing strategy to transition from planning to implementation.

The report details the ecological and physical vulnerability of the Central Tian Shan in the Kyrgyz Republic. It finds a general trend of glacier retreat and shrinking lakes, which threatens the region's role as the 'water tower of Central Asia' and impacts hydropower security. Biodiversity is at risk, particularly the endangered snow leopard, due to habitat shifts and prey instability, although some species have expanded their range. Future scenarios project significant temperature increases and a long-term decrease in surface runoff by 2100. The document advocates for the expansion of protected areas and the implementation of climate-smart livelihoods, such as yak breeding and ecotourism, to build community and ecosystem resilience.

The report identifies high vulnerability in wetlands, rivers, and snow leopard habitats in North Sikkim due to rising temperatures, erratic precipitation, and infrastructure development. It recommends climate-smart agriculture, improved water resource management, and the integration of ecosystem-based adaptation into state planning.

The document outlines a bottom-up decision-scaling approach to adaptation for Nepal's hydropower sector, categorizing necessary actions into immediate resilience building for existing plants, climate-smart planning for new investments, and long-term monitoring and research. It highlights that while future climate impacts are uncertain due to data gaps, the sector faces significant risks from climate-induced hazards like sediment load and glacial lake outburst floods, necessitating context-specific, low-regret adaptation pathways.

The document identifies that while future climate change impacts in Nepal are uncertain, the sector faces immediate risks from climate variability and climate-induced hazards such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and high sediment loads. It argues that adaptation must be plant-specific rather than 'one size fits all,' recommending a mix of low-regret technical and non-technical options. At the national level, the study finds the current power mix is inefficient and suggests increasing the share of storage-type reservoir projects to better manage supply and demand under changing climatic conditions.

The document details CDKN-supported projects in Nepal aimed at climate-smart agriculture, adaptive hydroelectricity, and resilient irrigation systems, while also addressing the country's US$2.4 billion adaptation deficit through improved access to climate finance.