ICIMOD holds consultation workshop in Pakistan

Organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the workshop marks a significant step towards creating consistent methodologies for tracking glaciers, snow, and permafrost across the region.

Sher Muhammad, a Cryosphere Specialist at ICIMOD, highlighted the workshop’s importance in ensuring consistency in data collection. "This is not just about research; it's about ensuring reliable data that can inform decision-making and help us better understand cryosphere changes and their downstream impacts," he noted.

Dr. Arun Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead for Managing Climate and Environmental Risks at ICIMOD, provided an overview of the organization’s initiatives, emphasizing its long-standing involvement in Pakistan. He noted how ICIMOD has shifted to supporting regional countries like Pakistan in leading cryosphere monitoring, while ICIMOD itself focuses on capacity-building and providing technical assistance.

Mr. Arif Goheer, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), reflected on the long-standing collaboration between GCISC and ICIMOD. He underscored the need to build on past achievements to further strengthen cryosphere research capacity in Pakistan, stating, "Our collaboration began with glacier monitoring in 2018 and capacity-building in 2019, and I’m pleased to say that our partnership has only grown stronger. Today’s consultation is another step in this journey."

Workshop Objectives

Following the opening remarks, the workshop moved into its primary agenda: reviewing the draft guideline for a standardized cryosphere monitoring approach in the HKH region. Key participants from institutions such as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Karakoram International University (KIU), and the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) provided feedback on the draft.

The workshop aimed to achieve three key objectives:1. *Knowledge Exchange*: Share knowledge and experiences on existing cryosphere monitoring methodologies in Pakistan.2. *Understanding Guidelines*: Improve participants’ understanding of how standardized guidelines can be applied to cryosphere research.3. *Review of Methodologies*: Jointly review the draft methodologies to ensure they meet the unique needs of Pakistan’s cryosphere research.

### Cryosphere Monitoring Challenges

Despite the immense contribution of the cryosphere to global water resources, monitoring efforts in the HKH region remain limited and inconsistent. Long-term monitoring of glaciers, snow, and permafrost is particularly sparse in regions like the Karakoram, where extreme conditions make data collection difficult. This lack of consistent data impacts researchers' and policymakers' ability to understand cryosphere trends and plan for related hazards such as avalanches, landslides, and meltwater fluctuations.

Sher Muhammad emphasized the urgency of addressing these gaps. "Our goal today is to develop standardized methodologies that improve data accuracy and support long-term monitoring. The region’s vast cryosphere is changing rapidly due to climate change, and without accurate data, we can’t fully grasp the magnitude or pace of these changes."

### Expected Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants expected to achieve several outcomes:1. *Standardized Methodologies*: Agreement on developing methodologies tailored to Pakistan’s cryosphere research needs.2. *Enhanced Collaboration*: Strengthened partnerships among key institutions to facilitate coordinated cryosphere monitoring efforts.3. *Long-term Monitoring Initiatives*: A roadmap for sustained monitoring to track cryosphere changes, understand their drivers, and evaluate their downstream impacts.

As the workshop concluded, Sher Muhammad thanked participants, remarking, "We look forward to your insights, which will help us create guidelines that are not only scientifically robust but also practical for researchers working in the field."

With renewed collaboration and a shared sense of purpose, participants left the workshop committed to advancing cryosphere monitoring in the HKH region.