#icimod

High in the quiet reaches of Nepal’s Langtang Valley, surrounded by snowy peaks and vibrant prayer flags, a unique and somber gathering took place. Scientists, villagers, and monks stood together, not for a study or celebration, but for a funeral. They had come to bid farewell to something both natural and sacred. Nepal’s Yala Glacier, once a great sheet of ice nestled in the Himalayas, was declared "dead" this May. It is the first glacier in Nepal to receive such a solemn recognition.

Extending over 3,500 km from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east, the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) mountains are home to world's highest peaks, rich biodiversity, unique cultures, and vast reserves of natural resources.

ICIMOD's recent Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment report presents a cautionary picture of the impact of climate change in HKH region as it synthesizes various scientific studies. A first of its kind in its comprehensiveness and focus, the report provides an assessment of one of the world's most significant yet often overlooked mountain regions, exposing the fragility of not just the region but its ecosystems as a whole.

This side event is aimed at bringing together representatives from governments across the HKH and from other mountain regions around the world, as well as other stakeholders, to raise awareness about the key findings and recommendations of the report. As the High-Level Political Forum under the auspices of ECOSOC will review SDG 13 on climate action as well, the HKH Assessment report presents a timely reminder on what the stakes are if climate change remains unchecked.

While we were working on improving the ICIMOD headquarters’ landscape back in 2018, we could not ignore the presence of an ugly structure towards the entry serving its sole purpose of connection to the underground parking.Former DG David Molden requested us to come up with an appropriate design that would rather enhance the new landscape.

Back in 2018 our landscape design for ICIMOD was in full swing. Side by side with their fantastic team of gardeners, we removed 663 sq.m. of tarmac, added 18 new trees and increased the soft-scape by 148 sq.m. During the process, SMA-ers Alisha and Himanshu noticed the terrible state of the gardeners’ shed and a week later they made a convincing case to the Dep. DG Dr. Eklabya Sharma for Hariyo Ghar- a decent house for the gardeners.

Almost completed now, it will protect the gardeners during cold rainy days. They will now have a private space for changing, adequate storage for their tools and their own pantry. We re-used existing clay tiles for the roof and left the bark on the pine timber planks for wall texture. Rows of up-cycled pet bottles assembled inside these walls provide thermal insulation.

The fruitful ICIMOD-SMA collaboration to improve the headquarters’ landscape for the 300 person strong ICIMOD community, will soon see a second copper-clad structure and three beautiful gazebos.

In the central axis, towards the existing copper-clad Entree Pavilion, the new Pop-up structure will form an elegant and transparent connection to the underground car park.

Monsoon rain collected on the asymmetrical butterfly roof cascades down in three falls and joins the water harvesting system below. The Sal wood timber seats, integrated in the Pop-up structure, invite staff and visitors to enjoy the outdoor landscape.

In addition, we transformed the boxy skylights of the basement into comfortable seating. One can enjoy a conversation or simply lunch under the lush flower clouds on top of the gazebos. The design is all set to allow meetings with the personal distance required in the current circumstances.

Next in line is Hariyo Ghar, a comfortable space for the landscape rock stars !