Often called Earth’s “third pole,” the Himalayan region is home to one-fifth of the world’s freshwater supply. Glacial runoff forms rivers in almost every country across South and Southeast Asia, with an estimated 1.8 billion people dependent on this water flow. However, large-scale water diversion projects and hydropower development have had dramatic downstream consequences, including lack of access to fresh water and negative ramifications on downstream ecosystems. The environmental sustainability of the Himalayan region is critical to the international community’s climate change goals and directly contributes to the stability and economic well-being of downstream nations in South and Southeast Asia. Through this discussion, our panelists will propose policy solutions to accelerate progress in multilateral fora related to water, climate change, sustainable energy and water storage, and climate change in the Himalayas.
Home Addressing Water Security Challenges in the Himalayan Region