Water Storage - A strategy for climate change adaptation in the Himalayas

Sustainable Mountain Development No. 56, ICIMOD, Winter 2009
Asian Wetlands Inventory approach and catchment management
ICIMOD in partnership with Wetlands International, the Centre for
(http://www.ramsar.org/pdf/sc/40/key_sc40_
Ecology and Hydrology (UK), and ARGEOPS (Netherlands) undertook a
decisions_e.pdf) and is supported by ICIMOD, WWF
pilot study on the application of the Asian Wetlands Inventory approach
and stakeholder-led catchment management in Bhutan, China, India and
International, Wetlands International, and IUCN, with
Nepal. Outputs included:
ICIMOD as the HWI host institution.
• a Greater Himalayan Wetland Information System (inventory method
The HWI works as an open informal regional
and knowledge base, see http://www.ghwis.icimod.org:8081/
partnership of the Ramsar focal points (administrative
wetlandsnew2/index.php)
authorities of the Convention in each country), the
• a vulnerability assessment tool (for value determination and
identiﬁ cation of threats to, and impacts on, Himalayan wetlands)
Ramsar Convention Secretariat, international and
• capacity needs assessment for policy and technical support
regional partners, and national organisations. The
overall goal is the “conservation and wise use of the
• a report on the engagement of different players including the private
sector in wetland conservation
wetlands and wetland complexes in the Himalayan
region by promoting regional collaboration between
the governments of the countries sharing the region and
training programmes will assist in developing this
between other relevant institutions”. Achieving this means
network and build capacity in the region. This
developing an understanding of regional issues related
cooperative network can help promote best practices for
to climate change, degradation of wetland ecosystems
wetland management, leading to a dramatic increase
and biodiversity, and infrastructural development. The
in the conservation status of wetlands, a rise in the
major objectives proposed for 2009-2011 are to
number of Ramsar sites, and formal implementation of
develop information management methodologies for
management plans across the region.
Himalayan wetlands; develop mechanisms and facilities
for cooperation, networking, and capacity building; Policy development related to the objectives of the
promote needs-based joint research, particularly for Initiative will be targeted to develop a formal basis
high altitude wetlands and related river basins: devise for support of a regional framework for conservation
and promote best practices on Himalayan wetland and wise use for implementation at local, national and
management; develop a participatory communication, international levels. Through its activities, the HWI will
education, participation, and awareness (CEPA) assist in preserving the environmental integrity of the
programme for the Himalayan wetlands; and build Himalayan wetlands to enable sustainable management
policy support for the implementation of Himalayan of resources, and ultimately contribute to maintaining
wetlands conservation. and improving livelihoods throughout the HKH region.
The way forward References
The HWI provides a formal means for regional
ICIMOD (2009) A manual for an inventory of greater
conservation and understanding of wetlands in the greater
Himalayan wetlands. Kathmandu: ICIMOD
Himalayan region. The strategic activities will help to Lehner, B; Doll, P (2004) ‘Development and validation of a
ﬁ ll the knowledge gap on wetland information, needed
global database of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands.’ Journal of
for wetland assessment and management activities.
Hydrology 296: 1-22
ICIMOD has implemented a series of projects as a ﬁ rst MA (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being: Wetlands
step towards understanding and managing Himalayan
and water synthesis, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA).
wetlands (see Box). These activities will be followed by
Washington DC: World Resources Institute
joint research under the HWI to give a solid foundation NIE (2008) Impacts of climate change on functions and
for conserving wetlands and provide an insight into the
services of wetlands of the eastern Himalaya, unpublished
environmental, social, and cultural roles of wetlands in the
report by the National Institute of Ecology, New Delhi, India
region. Communities will be involved in the HWI process
Novitzki, RP; Smith, D; Fretwell, JD (2001) Restoration, creation and
through knowledge sharing at all levels; and information
recovery of wetlands: Wetland functions, values, and assessment,
will be disseminated to highlight the importance of, and
USGS Water Supply Paper 2425. Reston (VA): USGS
threats to, the Himalayan wetlands.
Shrestha, A; Wake, CP; Mayewski, PA; Dibb, JE (1999)
‘Maximum temperature trends in the Himalaya and its vicinity:
The HWI has a potential for strengthening and An analysis based on temperature records from Nepal for the
formalising networks between stakeholders working with
period 1971-94’. Journal of Climate 12: 2775-2786
and managing wetlands and thus supporting exchange
Trisal, CL; Kumar, R (2008) Integration of high altitude wetlands
of regional experiences and development of a shared into river basin management in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas:
understanding of wetlands and their management. By
Capacity building needs assessment for policy and technical
assessing the needs of stakeholders and managers,
support. New Delhi: Wetlands International -South Asia
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