Role of policy and institutions in local adaptation to climate change: Case studies on responses to too much and too little water in the Hindu Kush Himalayas

Climate change heralds both opportunities and threats to the livelihoods of 1.3 billion people in the nine large river basins of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and downstream. Climate change impacts in the region are particularly severe owing to the large amount of the population depending on climate-sensitive livelihoods such as agriculture.

The fast retreat of glaciers, snow, and permafrost; the increasing magnitude and frequency of hazards such as flash floods, glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and landslides; and decreased water availability and drought during the dry season, all are major threats.

This report, a follow-up to a 2009 ICIMOD report, focuses on the role of policies and institutions in strengthening or weakening community adaptation strategies. It examines four key themes that emerged from the findings of the earlier study: local water governance, flood mitigation measures, agricultural diversification, and alternative livelihood options.

Learn more and download the report (external link to ICIMOD)