Himalaya climate funding:
A recent synthesis report by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has estimated that India needs about $102 billion annually to bridge climate adaptation and mitigation gaps in the Himalayan region amid accelerating climate risks.
- The estimate emerges from ICIMOD’s synthesis based on the First Determination Report (2020) submitted to the UNFCCC, assessing adaptation and mitigation costs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
- The HKH spans 8 countries—India, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar—and supports nearly half of the global population through water, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.
Findings in the report:
- Scale of finance needed:
- Total HKH requirement: ~$768.7 billion per year.
- India: ~$102 billion/year; China: ~$605 billion/year (together >92% of total needs).
- Rising climate risks: Accelerated glacial melt, increased extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and water insecurity, threatening ecosystems and downstream livelihoods.
- Uneven vulnerability: Smaller economies (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar) face severe financing gaps relative to GDP, heightening climate vulnerability.
- Priority investment sectors: Agriculture, water resources, energy, and urban development dominate funding needs for resilience and low-carbon transitions.
- Regional interdependence: Himalayan degradation has transboundary impacts on rivers, food security, disaster risks, and regional stability.
