WWF: Himalayan nations must move rapidly to commit to efforts that build resilience to the impacts of climate change and generate resources for adaptation, capacity building and technology transfer.

The Himalayan glaciers are the water towers of Asia, and the source of many of the world’s great rivers: The Yangtze, the Ganges, the Indus and the Mekong. Close to a billion people depend directly on the Himalayas for survival.

Climate change in the Himalayas will have dire and far-reaching impacts on the regions biodiversity, food, water, and energy security, which is of critical importance to the governments across the region and around the rest of the world.

Vulnerable Himalayan countries must, therefore, move rapidly to commit to efforts that build resilience to the impacts of climate change and generate resources for adaptation, capacity building and technology transfer. In the Himalayas, where the impacts of global climate change are manifesting at a rapid pace, the time for action is running out.

To help Himalayan nations adapt to the negative impacts of climate change, the Royal Government of Bhutan has organized the Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas on November 19 2011 in Thimphu, Bhutan. The event will bring together leaders from the governments of Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan as well as representatives of civil society and academia to agree on a regional framework of cooperation for adaptation to climate change.

WWF is asking leaders from the 4 Himalayan nations to take this opportunity and reach an agreement on:

• A road map for adaptation to climate change in the eastern Himalayas sub-region that ensures food, water and energy security while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

• A proposal to secure all of the eastern Himalayas temperate and alpine forests and grasslands, supporting biodiversity protection and maintaining ecosystem services.

• The creation and optimization of a regional ‘adaptation experts group’ which will advise governments on emerging concerns and risks.

For further information:

Please note that all media information related to WWF’s activities at the Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas can be found online at:

www.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/eastern_himalaya/solutions2/climate_summit_for_living_himalayas/

For Summit Details : http://www.bhutanclimatesummit.org.bt/main/index.php