Hindu Kush Himalaya Climate Risk Management Initiative [C168]

Objective

The Hindu Kush Himalayas are crucial for the livelihoods of 2 billion people across the region. Yet the area faces increasing risks from melting glaciers, floods, landslides, and droughts. These threats endanger ecosystems, water resources, and the communities that rely on them.

The Hindu Kush Himalaya Climate Risk Management Initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience across the region by addressing the impacts of climate change on glaciers, water availability, and multi-hazard risks. By taking an integrated, basin-scale approach, the project promotes better governance for climate and water management, invests in both grey and nature-based infrastructure, and enhances understanding of climate risks and their impacts on communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure.

In collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), NDF supports disaster risk management, multi-hazard early warning systems, and sustainable river-basin management to secure long-term water resources. NDF’s co-financing enables technical expertise to deliver tangible, on-the-ground solutions that promote regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Hindu Kush Himalayas.

Financing

NDF is contributing EUR 10 million to the Hindu Kush project through two initiatives: Building Adaptation and Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, which strengthens disaster risk management and early warning systems, and the Resilient River Basin Initiative, which promotes sustainable river-basin management and long-term water security.