ICIMOD Director General Dr Pema Gyamtsho said on Wednesday that by focusing on the knowledge, leadership and priorities of women and indigenous people in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, they are not only boosting climate resilience but also giving more power to those who have long protected mountain ecosystems.
“As implementation begins, I am reminded that meaningful climate action is not only about technologies or policies, but about people, equity, and dignity,” he said, reflecting not only on what the ICIMOD has achieved but also on what this year has meant to him personally.
By working closely with national partners in all three countries, HI-CAS is laying the foundation for integrated, ecosystem-based adaptation solutions that respond to local realities and ensure that those most affected by climate change are at the centre of adaptation planning and action, Dr Pema said.
“What gives me confidence is HI-CAS’s clear focus on locally led, gender-responsive adaptation,” he said in a message.
In 2025, ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) began implementation of the Integrated Climate Adaptation Solutions for the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region (HI-CAS) project, a multi-country initiative focused on strengthening climate adaptation for women and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities across Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
In 2025, ICIMOD further strengthened its partnership with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) through a GBIF-Capacity Enhancement Support Programme (CESP)-supported capacity-building programme that enhanced institutional capabilities for biodiversity data management across the HKH.
Working with national institutions in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, partners published 20 biodiversity datasets using the regional open-access infrastructure, the Hindu Kush Himalayan Biodiversity Information Facility (HKHBIF), hosted by ICIMOD.
The Third Regional Science, Policy, and Finance Dialogue on Air Quality Management in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills took place in Paro, Bhutan, in December 2025 and brought key partners from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan to discuss on developing a voluntary collaborative platform and talk about the factors required to make regional collaboration for air quality management a success.
The project ‘Reducing air pollution by creative use of pelletisation’ was a three-year initiative implemented from September 2023 to September 2026, funded by the United States Department of State, Dr Pema said.
The project focused on Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, and aimed to address severe regional air pollution linked to agricultural residue burning.
The proposed pilot unit was designed as a demonstration facility to showcase the technical, economic, and environmental viability of converting agricultural residues into clean energy products.
Dr Pema said it was also expected to generate practical evidence on operational performance, supply-chain linkages with farmers, and emission reduction benefits, thereby supporting knowledge exchange and facilitating replication of the model in countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan.
ICIMOD chief hails SANDEE’s 25 years of shaping South Asia’s environmental economics
The Green Alliance for Women’s Economic Security in the HKH was a 24-month regional initiative awarded to ICIMOD by the US Embassy in Nepal to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship across Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
The project aimed to support 60 young women entrepreneurs through small grants, business incubation, mentorship, and the establishment of a regional alliance of incubators to promote inclusive, resilient and sustainable enterprises.