The International Conference on Mountain Hydrology and Cryosphere (ICMHC) is being organised in Lalitpur and Dhulikhel, from to address the issues of mountain hydrology and cryosphere and its related sectors.

The conference is organised by the Nepal committee for the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), Kathmandu University (HiCCDRC, KU), and The Small Earth Nepal (SEN).

Dr. Manohara Khadka, Country Representative of IWMI-Nepal, gives her opening remarks at the International conference on Mountain Hydrology and Cryosphere held in Kathmandu, Nepal. She stresses that water is a vital link to energy, land, food, and environmental system.

"Impacts of Climate change in precipitation and temperature patterns will be felt across sectors (agriculture, biodiversity, energy, domestic uses) through the water sector. Climate crisis is water crisis, food crisis, energy crisis and environment crisis," said Dr. Khadka. "Managing water resources in changing climaterequires science-based action for future water security. Co-creation of scientific knowledge, innovation, tools, and learning with the state and non-state actors is critical to tackle water challenges."

"Policymakers, investors, practitioners, communities, indigenous people, and small-holder women and men farmers are grappling with limited science-based solutions, approaches and tools to manage and utilize water resources judiciously," said Dr. Khadka.

"There is also a need for developing capacity of multi-stakeholders at scales for understanding and addressing water challenges for development, this also demands science-based policy and investment."

The conference invited graduate and post-graduate scholars, researchers, scientists, engineers, planners, policymakers, development workers and experts in related fields to provide a platform for presenting their research and discuss findings and innovative ideas for the betterment of human society and nature. Altogether 150 delegates are participating in the conference.

Speaking at the conference, Prof. Dr. Gorden Young from Canada said that this is a follow-up to a similar conference held in Kathmandu in 1992. There have been incredible technological advances in the past 60 years affecting the monitoring of snow and glaciers – in particular, developments in remote sensing, glacier and snow mapping and modeling of snow and ice melt.

According to Dr. Young, climate change and glacier response – affect glacier melting especially in the Himalayas.

Dr. Bhola Thapa, Vice Chancellor of Kathmandu University, said that realising the importance of the water resources of the country, we have now sufficient hydropower and we are now also in the era of exporting electricity. “The glacier water will be raw materials for us as we can go for green hydrogen and so many things. Because of these mountains and water in Nepal green hydrogen will be the cheapest in the world in few years,” he said.

Prof. Dr. Rijan Bhakta Kayastha, National Correspondent of Nepal to the IAHS and Chair of ICMHC-2023, said that this international conference and discussion will definitely have more impact on the hydrology and cryosphere of the region.

The conference will provide an opportunity for the participants to discuss the issues in mountain hydrology and cryosphere and its related sectors, their recent developments and to find solutions to address the challenges, Dr. Kayastha said.

The conference features a total of 86 presentations with 59 technical presentations. Additionally, 21 poster presentations and 11 remarks from distinguished scientists and officials, will be part of the conference. These cover a wide range of topics making the conference very informative and diverse.