Publication

13.09.2013

Technical report: Climate change adaptation needs of people of the Hindu Kush Himalayas

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The Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) region has witnessed spectacular impacts of climate changes as indicated by rapid temperature rise, shifting precipitation characteristics, black carbon emission and uncertainties on climate change projections. The impacts are already pervasive in the 8 HKH consisting of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, India and Pakistan in full or parts of their territories. The HKH region is warming at higher rates (0.03- 0.07°C per year) mainly in the central Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. In HKH regions, precipitations changes are remarkable but no clear trends of decrease or increase are observed. Receding glaciers and shrinking snow covers are the widely experienced impact of temperature rise and changes in precipitations. The consecutive impacts of these changes are already observed on water resources including seasonal flow of rivers and streams, quality of ecosystem services, biodiversity, population dynamics, agriculture, and human health.