Climate Impact Tour 2026 Part 1 - Nepal

[Dr. Soumitra Das]

𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥: 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬⁣
⁣
Thanks to Dr. Farooq Azam, my recent visit to Nepal was not just successful — it was deeply meaningful. I had the privilege of meeting with 𝐃𝐫. 𝐏𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐆𝐲𝐚𝐦𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐨, Director General of 𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐃. Our conversation was substantive. ICIMOD has graciously accepted my invitation to lead the plenary session on Himalayan Glaciers, Floods, and Water Security at the upcoming Climate Cooling Summit.⁣
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This is significant.⁣ The Himalayas are not just a regional concern — they are the water tower for nearly two billion people across South Asia. We also explored the possibility of joint proposals focused on cryosphere protection, an area that is becoming increasingly urgent as glacial retreat accelerates.⁣

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 – 𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐃 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫⁣
My seminar on Managing Extreme Climate Risks was warmly received by ICIMOD scientists. What stood out most was the depth of engagement — thoughtful questions, sharp critiques, and a shared recognition that:
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𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 & 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬⁣
The climate workshops at Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University were engaging and energizing. Students are not asking whether the climate crisis is real. They are asking:⁣
* What can we do?⁣
* What solutions are scalable?⁣
* How can we go beyond monitoring glaciers — and actively protect them?⁣
* How can TU and KU become global hubs for dialogue on mountain glacier protection?⁣ These are the right questions.⁣
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I also had a constructive meeting with Prof. Bhim Shrestha and the Secretariat of the 𝐇𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐮𝐦, exploring pathways for sustained collaboration.⁣
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𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲⁣
Nepal is breathtaking — truly in the lap of the Himalayas. But behind the beauty lies fragility. Nepal is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Glacial melt, flash floods, erratic monsoons, landslides, and water insecurity threaten livelihoods that have contributed almost nothing to global emissions. While enjoying the warmth and hospitality of the people, I could not help but reflect on the stark injustice:⁣ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐭.⁣
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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝⁣
* The Himalayas are central to South Asia’s future stability.⁣
* Cryosphere protection must move from discussion to structured research collaboration.⁣
* Universities and young scientists are ready to engage.⁣
* Regional institutions like ICIMOD are essential partners in shaping responsible climate risk strategies.

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Soumitra Das

Chairman and Executive Director, HCI USA

Chairman, HCI India

https://healthyclimateinitiative.org/

[John Dixon]

Dear Soumitra

 

I was very encouraged to read the highlights of your visit to Nepal. Indeed the Himalayas are a critical water tower affecting a billion or more people directly, and indirectly affecting many more as well as the economies of 6 or 7 countries. Great that ICIMOD can lead the water security, glaciers and floods session of the Conference. Hopefully they will draw out some of the climate, hydrology cycle and food interactions and seasonal variabilities – and speak to droughts and inadequate aquifer recharge as well as floods.

 

The subject matter referred to Nepal – Part 1.  Was Part 2 another South Asian country, e.g., Bangladesh?

 

Many thanks

John

 

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[Dr. Soumitra Das]

Dear John 

Thanks you for your kind comments. This time I am covering different parts of India - East, West and Center.  Here is my plan:

🌍 𝐇𝐂𝐈 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔⁣⁣

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🇳🇵 𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥 | 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬⁣⁣

📍 11 Feb – Climate Intervention seminar & meetings with ICIMOD (TBC)⁣⁣

 📍 12 Feb – Climate Workshop at Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu⁣⁣

 📍 13 Feb – Climate Workshop at Kathmandu University⁣⁣

𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬: Glacier loss • Cryosphere protection • Regional climate risk • Research pathways for High-Mountain Asia⁣⁣

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🇮🇳 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 | 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲, 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 & 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞⁣⁣

🔹 𝐌𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 | 𝟏𝟕–𝟏𝟗 𝐅𝐞𝐛⁣⁣

•⁠ ⁠Seminar at IIT Bombay⁣⁣

 • Meetings with civil society organizations, including World Resources Institute (WRI)⁣⁣

🔹 𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐞 | 𝟐𝟎–𝟐𝟐 𝐅𝐞𝐛⁣⁣

•⁠ ⁠International Youth Sustainability Festival 4.0⁣⁣

 • Climate Intervention Seminar⁣⁣

 • Vice Chancellors Conclave (Closed Door)⁣⁣

 • Book Release: “Every Climate Action – A Handbook for Gen Z” by Rituraj Phukan⁣⁣

 • Panel: Climate Intervention & Behavioral Change⁣⁣

 • Field Visit⁣⁣

🔹 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐡𝐢 | 𝟐𝟐–𝟐𝟖 𝐅𝐞𝐛⁣⁣

•⁠ ⁠Meetings with 3 Union Ministers and 10 Members of Parliament⁣⁣

 • World Sustainability Development Summit (Silver Jubilee)⁣⁣

🔹 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 & 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡⁣⁣

•⁠ ⁠2 Mar – Workshop at North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong⁣⁣

 • 3 Mar – Workshop at Bhattadev University⁣⁣

 • 5 Mar – Meetings with VC & students at Jadavpur University⁣⁣

 • 6 Mar – Workshop in Barrackpore, West Bengal⁣⁣

 • 12 Mar – Workshop at University of Gour Banga, Malda⁣⁣

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🎯 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬⁣⁣

This tour connects:⁣⁣

✔ Climate intervention researchers⁣⁣

 ✔ Policymakers shaping national and regional strategy⁣⁣

 ✔ Universities and youth networks⁣⁣

 ✔ Civil society implementers⁣⁣

 ✔ Funders who can accelerate research, field trials, legitimacy, and governance⁣⁣

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Soumitra Das

Chairman and Executive Director, HCI USA

Chairman, HCI India

https://healthyclimateinitiative.org/