‘Regional cooperation on climate change required’

Islamabad : Stressing the impact of climate change across South Asia, particularly in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region, Dr Gyamtsho, Director-General, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal, has said that there is need for regional cooperation on climate change.

Dr Gyamtsho was addressing an in-house session hosted here by Institute of Strategic Studies (ISS) with him. The meeting brought together key representatives from both organisations.

Dr Gyamtsho underscored the need for enhanced transboundary cooperation in areas like water, air pollution, wetlands, ecosystems and glaciology, citing the potential for South Asian countries to learn from Alpine and Arctic coalitions. He emphasised ICIMOD's interest in working closely with ISS on issues of mutual interests and called for regional cooperation on climate change. He stressed the impact of climate change across South Asia, particularly in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.

Aisha Khan, Executive Director, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC), emphasised the importance of training for media persons regarding climate change reporting. She also highlighted ICIMOD's role as a valuable data source for researchers and expressed optimism about increased exchanges between the two organisations, including for capacity-building.

During the interactive session, Sohail Mahmood, DG, ISS, proposed forming an institutional relationship between the two bodies to strengthen cooperation on the issues of mutual interest. He suggested developing a roadmap for collaborative events in 2024 fostering a closer working relationship between the two organisations. It was agreed that the designated focal persons on both sides would steer the collaborative process.