Adaptation in the Himalayas: Knowledge, Action and Results Highlights from the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP), 2012–2017 Foreword Global climate change is one of the most important issues of This interdisciplinary collaboration has succeeded in filling our time, and the effects that have long been predicted are now significant gaps in our knowledge of recent and future climate being felt by communities worldwide, often profoundly altering change and its impacts on water resources, ecosystems, and the conditions for human livelihoods. people in the region, particularily women, while identifying and testing viable adaptation solutions that have already benefited People in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region are among the world’s thousands of people. The project has also contributed to a better most vulnerable to climate and other changes. There is an urgent contextualization of climate change at the local and national need to achieve a better understanding of the cumulative impacts level, highlighting how both climate change, impacts and of change in this region, and to find ways to improve livelihoods adaptation are part of a broader complex of local challenges, and increase security in the face of these changes. The global needs and opportunities. and complex nature of these changes and their impacts, with issues linking across national borders and regions, requires an In many ways, HICAP has laid the ground work for making the international and interdisciplinary collaboration. Hindu Kush Himalayan region more resilient to the multiple challenges that face it. We are pleased to present this report, The Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP), which highlights some of the key achievements of HICAP. supported jointly by the governments of Norway and Sweden, has been implemented by three leading organizations in the We hope that the findings and successes described in this fields of environment, climate research and communications report will continue to inspire research, governments and based in Norway and Nepal, collaborating with 28 regional individuals to take part in the ongoing process of creating a partner institutions in nine countries. more sustainable future for all. David Molden, ICIMOD Kristin Halvorsen, CICERO Peter Harris, GRID-Arendal 2 Introduction This short report presents a selection of the key findings, results; and how these are essential for achieving both climate achievements and lessons learned from the Himalayan Climate adaptation and relevant SDG targets Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP) over the period 2012– 2017. A more comprehensive overview of all of HICAP’s work • Decision makers within the HKH region – to illustrate that is provided in the annual programme reports. This summary interdisciplinary knowledge production with inputs from report focuses on selected HICAP approaches to science, action science, communities and policy is essential for ensuring research, pilot activities, and communications and outreach. In successful local adaptation and consistency across policies doing so, we aim to highlight: • Researchers – to illustrate that knowledge production must be • The broader implications of HICAP’s scientific research, how connected across disciplines, relevant to soceity, and include it has contributed to and filled critical gaps in knowledge targeted communications to improve implementation and uptake on climate change and impacts in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, and how this knowledge can be applied The development of HICAP locally to achieve some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) HICAP was developed as a result of two earlier interventions: ‘Too Much, Too Little Water’ and the ‘Himalayan Climate Change • How HICAP’s scientific recommendations, approaches and Impact and Adaptation Assessment’ (HICIA) – which were tools have been incorporated into decision-making at various largely a response to the noticeable lack of information from the levels (policies, actions, decisions) Himalayas in the IPCC 4th Assessment Report. The interventions were supported by the Swedish International Development • How HICAP’s engagement with various stakeholders, such as Cooperation Agency and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign regional partners or the media, has resulted in multiplication/ Affairs, respectively. The HICIA feasibility study identified four amplification and new levels of action and awareness where priority topic areas for improving knowledge and understanding: it is most needed (i) scenarios for climate change, water demand and availability; (ii) the effects of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem We conclude this report by highlighting some of the important services; (iii) the impacts of climate change on agro-ecology, food lessons learned over the duration of the programme, particularly production systems and food security; and (iv) critical factors for in terms of policy outreach and partnerships. achieving sustainable adaptation to climate change. The study concluded that the best way to examine these issues was through This report is targeted at different groups: a large-scale study in the HKH region, with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) acting as the • Funding partners – to illustrate the benefits of the HICAP hub and coordinator for activities in the region, in collaboration programme and the value of its methodology, partnerships and with relevant international expertise including the Centre for International Climate and Environment Research-Oslo (CICERO) and GRID-Arendal. This led to the development of the Himalayan Adaptation Climate Change Adaptation Programme, which aims to: Adaptation is the process of change to better suit a • Reduce uncertainty through downscaling and customizing global situation or environment. It is a continuous process, not climate change scenarios, and developing water availability an end-point. It means dealing with both sudden events and demand scenarios for parts of major river basins and with slow ongoing changes in a region over time, which may include climate or weather, but also other • Develop knowledge and enhance capacities to assess, monitor aspects such as social and economic stresses, market and communicate the impacts of and responses to climate fluctuations or access, ecosystem changes, policies and change (compounded with other drivers of change) on natural regulations, infrastructure, etc. and socioeconomic environments at the local, national and regional level 3 • Make concrete and actionable proposals for strategies Historical trend analysis Collection of data and information and policies considering vulnerabilities, opportunities Ensure that the design, Dynamic downscaling and potentials for adaptation, with particular reference to development and delivery of CLIMATE CHANGE Backdrop Sub-basin level strengthening the role of women and local communities knowledge and information from Statistical/stochastic the project components are downscaling at SCENARIOS congruent and are addressing the strategic points To meet the objectives that were set out at HICAP’s inception, different audiences’ needs Integrate and use the programme was organized into seven connected thematic Scenario Provide decision makers at development Collate data peer-reviewed components, with work carried out in five river basins in the HKH different levels with relevant, and assessment and information international models region – namely, the Upper Indus in Pakistan, the Koshi Sub- state-of-the-art information, basin in Nepal, the Eastern Brahmaputra in India, the Upper knowledge and tools that are Develop methodology strategic and policy-oriented for water availability Brahmaputra in the Tibetan Autonomous Region and the Upper HICAP and demand analysis Downscale and Salween-Mekong in China. Ensure that information customize climate and knowledge gathered or scenarios for the region HICAP has been implemented through a ‘promoters’ and generated by a component are shared, aggregated and Share tailored information Develop and validate models at pilot catchment partnership structure. The promoters group was made up of customized for different COMMUNICATION and knowledge to contribute Assess the impact audiences effectively to policy processes scale and up-scale to ICIMOD, CICERO and GRID-Arendal, each of whom contributed AND OUTREACH (direct and indirect) sub-basin and larger scales in varying degrees to science, action research, pilot projects, in water-related sectors WATER and communication and outreach. In addition, a total of AVAILABILITY 28 partners have been involved throughout the course of AND DEMAND the programme. SCENARIOS Identify and pilot HICAP Strengthen capacity gender profiles Identify and assess drivers of change, trends and develop women’s and projected climate change impacts on leadership skills Enhance the resilience of mountain ecosystems and ecosystem services Analyse differences in Conduct case adaptation between communities, particularly women, Assess contributions Quantify and valuate studies and women and men, and ecosystem services action-oriented through improved understanding of of key drivers to land strengthen women's vulnerabilities, opportunities, and cover and land use research capacity to adapt Link regional and local potentials for adaptation dynamics and develop changes to recommenda- Carry out scoping strategic management tions for adaptation studies, exploratory interventions for the strategies and methods missions, sustainability of