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growing pressure increasing human population, land use and cover
change, and climate change to name a few. The Hindu Kush Himalayas,
with a complex and fragile ecosystem maintain steady year-round fl ows
of ecosystem goods and services to one third of the humanity for their
wellbeing far beyond the immediate vicinity, benefiting entire river
basins. However, this diverse ecosystem of the HKH is facing overarching
threats from various drivers of changes including climate change. Even
the protected areas such as national parks, nature reserves and wildlife
sanctuaries face tremendous pressures from external driving forces and
communities living inside and outside. The most pressuring challenge faced
by these protected areas is from the prevailing climate change.
The member countries sharing the Hindu Kush Himalayas are
progressing towards adaptive measures through innovative and regionally
appropriate conservation and adaptation approaches. In particular, the
importance biodiversity conservation in protected areas, corridors and
transboundary landscapes focussing on climate resilience by maintaining
ecosystem integrity for enhancing flow of environmental goods and
services have been the thrust for the region. As a regional knowledge
development and learning center, ICIMOD is committed to strengthen
the existing research network in the HKH and also facilitate data sharing
mechanisms. In 2008, a framework on 'HKH Transboundary Landscapes
and Trans-Himalayan Transect' was developed with the technical inputs
from the recognized mountain experts with an objective to promote
transboundary collaboration among the countries and fi lling the data
defi cit issue through seven representative landscapes across the gradients
of precipitation, altitude and latitude. Since 2008, ICIMOD and its regional
member counties have made signifi cant progress in mainstreaming this
Framework within ICIMOD through implementation of Transboundary
Landscape Programme.
The need for biodiversity conservation has been rationalized by
valuation of ecosystems services provided by various ecosystems, both
inside and outside the protected areas. One of the studies showed that
around NPR 8.9 billion per annum (approximately US$ 125 million)
equivalent to NPR 30,000 per ha/per year worth of services are used by
local communities from the forested ecosystem of which 80% of the total
benefi ts (NPR 7.01 billion per annum or approximately US$ 98 million)
was from provisioning services, i.e., goods from the forests used directly or
indirectly. The average benefi t per household from ecosystem services was
estimated to be NPR 60,144 per year. The study was important in terms of
reconciling conservation and climate change as it rationalizes the need for
enhancing ecological resilience through conservation intervention.
The importance and need for establishing long-term, consistent
monitoring of climate change and its impact on ecosystems and people's
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