The Himalayas: A climate change laboratory

Abstract

The Himalayas are an excellent place for the study of system-wide climate change trends and impacts. The region possesses a significant range of climate zones and habitats, and millions of people are beneficiaries of Himalayan ecosystem services. The Himalayan ranges encompasses over eight countries from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east passing through Pakistan, India, China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Climate change is impacting the region, with dire consequences to sustainability of microhabitats and the services they provide. The recent devastating floods in Pakistan, for example, were likely worsened by the changing climate. A clear understanding of snow, ice and glacier dynamics in the Himalayas is limited. Socio-politically, the region is beset with border disputes. Researchers in the region cannot sustain the demand for their services and international assistance for regional research programmes is required. This could unlock vast sources of data that could be applied in multi- and trans-disciplinary work which could have a meaningful impact on the regions’ people and the sustained provision of ecosystems. The Himalayas are good place for multidisciplinary research; we need to ensure that changes happening in the region and their impacts are monitored carefully. Trans-boundary co-operation should be implemented in both research and management outcomes for sustainability in the region. We outline the vision for the study and monitoring of climate change dynamics, trends, and impacts and its importance in achieving both political and natural resource sustainability in the Himalayas.