The new climate reality of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is visible across three paradigms: thresholds being crossed as climate change accelerates cascading risks; pronounced inequalities in the adaptive and response capacities of communities across the region; and the growing need for data-driven, impact-based decisions that will determine the success of response measures.
Permafrost, frozen ground that remains at or below 0° Celsius for two or more years is an important component of the cryosphere across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. However, it remains one of the least studied components of the region's cryosphere. Beyond the Tibetan Plateau, the region still lacks a full observation system: permafrost boreholes, standardised monitoring methods, and an operational regional network are yet to be established. As warming accelerates across high mountain environments, improving understanding of permafrost distribution, degradation, and related hazards is becoming increasingly important for mountain communities, researchers, and decision-makers.
Experts at the regional dialogue on permafrost research in the Hindu Kush Himalaya | Photo: Jitendra Bajracharya/ICIMOD
Recognising this growing need, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) convened regional experts and partners for a week (27- 31 July 2026) bringing together technical training, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI)-integrated cryosphere governance and science communication, and dialogue to advance permafrost research across the HKH.
Experts gathered for the regional dialogue agreed that the region has a strong scientific foundation to build on, but this needs to be supported by a stronger observation system. There are reasons for optimism: efforts are gaining momentum across the HKH in regional permafrost mapping, remote sensing, rock glacier inventories, climate modelling, and targeted field studies.
Workshop on energy balance modelling of permafrost environments in the HKH invited early-career scientists and researchers, PhD scholars, and master’s-level students working on permafrost-related topics in the HKH to apply for the three-day training. A total of 20 participants were selected from over 100 applicants. Participants gained practical exposure to surface energy balance modelling using a numerical model, including model setup, input data preparation, simulation of surface energy fluxes, snow and ground temperature dynamics, model evaluation, and interpretation for Himalayan permafrost settings.
Workshop on energy balance modelling for permafrost was led by John Mohd Wani, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Trento, Italy | Photo: Jitendra Bajracharya/ICIMOD
ICIMOD has been piloting permafrost research to better understand the impacts of permafrost thaw and its possible effects on steep slopes. It began piloting permafrost research in 2013 with mapping of HKH-wide permafrost distribution using rock glacier polygons. In 2014, ICIMOD installed ground temperature sensors in Langtang Valley, central Nepal. Since then, permafrost research in the region has gradually gained momentum, such as ongoing collaboration in Nepal's remote Limi Valley in Humla district, western Nepal with Tribhuvan University, some sensors deployed in Hidden Valley, Mustang district, western Nepal and in Bhutan, where work with the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology at Shodug Glacier has entered its third year of permafrost data collection.
As this research grows, it is equally important to ensure that scientific knowledge is communicated effectively and reaches the people and institutions who can use it. Recognising this, ICIMOD organised a focused session on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and science communication. The session underscored the need to communicate cryosphere research in ways that are accessible, inclusive, and relevant to diverse audiences: policymakers, practitioners, and mountain communities.
The participants discussed initial findings from the draft GESI framework for linking cryosphere changes, hazards, and societal impacts in the HKH. These discussions highlighted the urgency of understanding how changes beneath the surface of high mountain landscapes are contributing to emerging risks.
Recent hazard events across the region point to the urgent need for greater awareness as communities across the region are already experiencing heightened disaster risks potentially linked to permafrost thaw, underscoring the importance of translating scientific findings into practical knowledge. This focus on practical knowledge also highlighted the importance of inclusive communication to connect research with action. The participants discussed how clear language and accessible visuals can help communicate effectively, support preparedness, policy engagement, and strengthen community resilience.
Sudip Maharjan, Design Officer, ICIMOD explaining how to use graphics to explain scientific process to audience | Photo: Jitendra Bajracharya/ICIMOD
The week concluded with a regional dialogue bringing together scientists, government representatives, and institutional leaders from Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan to assess the state of permafrost research in the HKH. Participants highlighted the need for stronger data-sharing platforms, sustained collaboration, and greater political commitment, so that emerging science can inform decisions that benefit mountain communities.