The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment : : Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People.

• Author: Wester, Philippus.
• TeilnehmendeR: Mishra, Arabinda.; Mukherji, Aditi.; Shrestha, Arun Bhakta.
• Place / Publishing House: Cham : : Springer International Publishing AG,, 2019.; Ã2019.
• Year of Publication: 2019
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (638 pages)

Table of Contents

Intro -- Foreword -- Contents -- 1 Introduction to the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment -- 1.1 Global Mountain Perspective -- 1.2 The Hindu Kush Himalaya-A Global Asset -- 1.3 Key Issues of the HKH -- 1.4 Overall Objective, Rationale and Key Questions -- 1.4.1 Overall Objective -- 1.4.2 Rationale for the Assessment -- 1.4.3 Key Questions -- 1.5 Vision -- 1.6 HKH Priorities Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals -- 1.7 Conceptual Framing of the Assessment -- 1.8 Assessment Process -- 1.9 Outline of the Assessment -- References -- 2 Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability in the Hindu Kush Himalaya -- 2.1 Pillars and Drivers of Sustainability in HKH Mountains -- 2.2 Environmental Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability -- 2.2.1 Land Use and Land Cover Change -- 2.2.2 Over-Exploitation of Natural Resources -- 2.2.2.1 Extraction of Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) -- 2.2.2.2 Unsustainable Grazing -- 2.2.2.3 Illegal Hunting -- 2.2.2.4 Tourism -- 2.2.2.5 Mining -- 2.2.3 Pollution -- 2.2.3.1 Water Pollution: Organic and Inorganic -- 2.2.3.2 Solid Waste and Soil Pollution -- 2.2.3.3 Sources of Pollution -- 2.2.4 Invasive Alien Species (IAS) -- 2.2.4.1 Status of IAS Studies in HKH -- 2.2.4.2 Pathways of Introduction -- 2.2.4.3 Major Effects at Ecosystem Level -- 2.2.5 Mountain Hazards -- 2.2.5.1 Types of Mountain Hazards: Earthquakes, Landslides, and Erosion -- 2.2.5.2 Effects of Mountain Hazards: Casualties, Financial Loss, Farmland Loss, Damaged Roads -- 2.2.5.3 Impact of Mountain Hazards Amplified by Climate Change -- 2.2.6 Climate Change and Variability -- 2.2.6.1 Environmental Effects -- 2.2.6.2 Socioeconomic Effects -- 2.3 Sociocultural Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability -- 2.3.1 Changing Demographic Situation -- 2.3.2 Changing Sociocultural Situation -- 2.3.3 Governance Systems and Institutions.

2.3.4 External Knowledge and Technological Innovations -- 2.3.4.1 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) -- 2.3.4.2 Geospatial Technology and Improved Regional Perspectives -- 2.3.4.3 Biotechnological Applications in Agricultural Production Systems -- 2.4 Economic Drivers of Change to Mountain Sustainability -- 2.4.1 Economic Growth and Differentiation -- 2.4.2 Rapid Infrastructure Development -- 2.4.3 Urban and Peri-urban Expansion -- 2.4.3.1 National and Regional Capitals -- 2.4.3.2 New Hotspots of Territorialization -- 2.4.3.3 Old Urbanization with Own Production Systems -- 2.4.3.4 Resort Towns for Tourism and Second Homes -- 2.4.3.5 Local Centres -- 2.5 Conclusions -- References -- 3 Unravelling Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Rapid Warming in the Mountains and Increasing Extremes -- 3.1 Our Understanding of the HKH Climate Needs to Be Improved -- 3.2 Weather and Climate Mean Conditions in the HKH -- 3.2.1 Major Features of Climatology: Topographic Control, Seasons, and Liquid and Solid Precipitation -- 3.2.2 Climate Dominated by Monsoon -- 3.2.3 Climate Influenced by Large-Scale Climate Elements -- 3.3 Past HKH Climate Changes Were at Decadal to Greater Than Multi-millennial Time Scales -- 3.3.1 Significant Warming Characterized HKH Surface Air Temperature Trends in Past Decades -- 3.3.2 Precipitation Did Not Show Clear Trends in the Past Decades -- 3.3.3 Decreasing Near-Surface Wind Speed, Solar Radiation, and Sunshine Duration Indicated by Scanty Data -- 3.3.4 Significant Changes in the Temperature and Precipitation Extremes in Past Decades -- 3.3.5 Progressively Greater Warming with Elevation -- 3.4 Climate Models Project Increases in HKH Temperature and Precipitation in the 21st Century -- 3.4.1 Significant Warming Projected, Greater Than Global Average.

3.4.2 Precipitation Projected to Increase, but with Regional Diversity -- 3.5 Limitations and Gaps in the Analysis -- Annex 1: Data and Methods for Analysis of Past Temperature -- Annex 2: Data and Methods for Analysis of Past Precipitation -- Annex 3: Analysis of CMIP5 Data -- Annex 4: Analysis of CORDEX Data -- References -- 4 Exploring Futures of the Hindu Kush Himalaya: Scenarios and Pathways -- 4.1 HKH Scenarios for 2080 -- 4.1.1 Global Scenarios and Regional Outlooks -- 4.1.2 Challenges and Opportunities for the HKH -- 4.1.3 Storyline for HKH Scenario: "Downhill" -- 4.1.4 Storyline for HKH Scenario: "Business as Usual" -- 4.1.5 Storyline for HKH Scenario: "Prosperous HKH" -- 4.2 HKH Baseline in 2015 -- 4.2.1 National Considerations -- 4.3 Tracking Trends and Commitments for 2030: SDG's and NDC's in the HKH -- 4.3.1 Existing Sectoral Commitments Toward 2030 Sectoral/Thematic Considerations -- 4.4 Two Paths Toward a Prosperous HKH -- 4.4.1 Major Emerging Opportunities in the HKH -- 4.4.2 Two Pathways and Distinguishing Actions -- 4.4.3 Two Pathways but Common Actions -- 4.4.4 Actions to Avoid Downhill and Business as Usual (BAU) Scenarios -- 4.5 Beyond 2050 to 2080: Knowledge Gaps and Ways Forward -- References -- 5 Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Hindu Kush Himalaya -- 5.1 Mountain Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: A Major Global Asset Under Threat -- 5.2 The Rich Biodiversity of the HKH Region -- 5.2.1 Ecosystem Diversity -- 5.2.2 Species Diversity -- 5.2.3 Genetic Diversity -- 5.2.4 Functional Diversity -- 5.3 Ecosystem Services-The Source of Human Wellbeing -- 5.3.1 Social Value of Ecosystem Services -- 5.3.2 Cultural Value of Ecosystem Services -- 5.3.3 Ecological Value of Ecosystem Services -- 5.3.4 Economic Value of Ecosystem Services -- 5.3.5 Changing Ecosystem Services of the HKH Region.

5.3.6 Trade-offs and Synergies-Implications for Development -- 5.4 Conservation and Management Practices -- 5.4.1 Flagship and Keystone Species Conservation -- 5.4.2 Protected Areas Management -- 5.4.3 Conservation Through Traditional Knowledge -- 5.4.4 The Landscape Approach-Recognizing Complexity and Understanding Linkages -- 5.4.5 Participatory Forest Resources Management Practices -- 5.4.6 National and International Policies and Legislations-Support for Biodiversity Conservation -- 5.5 Sustaining Ecosystems-Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies -- 5.5.1 An Integrated Approach-The Landscape as a Socio-Ecological System -- 5.5.2 Building Knowledge-Science in Support of Decision-Making -- 5.5.3 Regional Cooperation for Regional Challenges and Opportunities -- 5.5.4 National and Global Investment-Securing Future of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services -- 5.6 Conclusion -- References -- 6 Meeting Future Energy Needs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.1.1 Setting the Scene: The Transition Challenge -- 6.1.2 Transformation in Energy Systems: Multidimensional Linkages -- 6.1.3 Framework and Roadmap -- 6.2 Energy Demand and Supply-Trends and Patterns -- 6.2.1 Biophysical and Socioeconomic Context Shaping Energy Demand -- 6.2.2 Energy Demand and Consumption Characteristics -- 6.2.3 Ensuring Sustainable Energy Supply -- 6.3 National Energy Policies, Programmes, Institutions, and Markets -- 6.3.1 Energy in Relation to National Development Strategies -- 6.3.2 National Energy Policy Framework, Programmes, and Markets -- 6.3.3 Cross-Regional Experiences and Recommendations -- 6.4 Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Energy -- 6.4.1 Key Sustainable Energy Concerns in the HKH -- 6.4.2 Links Between Energy and the SDGs: Synergies and Trade-offs -- 6.4.3 Assessing the Vulnerability of Vital Energy Services and Systems.

6.4.4 Overcoming Barriers and Seizing Potential Opportunities -- 6.5 Future Energy Scenarios and Pathways -- 6.5.1 Future Energy Scenarios of HKH Countries -- 6.5.2 Pathways Towards Rural Electrification -- 6.5.3 Pathways Towards Sustainable Clean Cooking Energy -- 6.5.4 A Sustainable Energy Future: Barriers and Opportunities -- 6.6 Energy Cooperation in HKH: National, Regional, and Global Linkages -- 6.6.1 Energy Challenges and Regional Cooperation -- 6.6.2 Models for Energy Cooperation -- 6.6.3 Role of Multi-level Governance in Securing Sustainable Energy in HKH -- 6.6.4 Climate Change, Energy Resilience, and Regional Energy Cooperation -- 6.7 Way Forward -- References -- 7 Status and Change of the Cryosphere in the Extended Hindu Kush Himalaya Region -- 7.1 Situating the Cryosphere in the Hindu Kush Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau-Pamir Region -- 7.1.1 Defining the Extended HKH Region from a Cryosphere Perspective -- 7.1.2 Regional Climate -- 7.2 Snow -- 7.2.1 Monitoring of Snow -- 7.2.1.1 Field Measurement -- 7.2.1.2 Remote Sensing Measurement -- 7.2.1.3 Regional Differences in Snow Cover -- 7.2.2 Observed Changes -- 7.2.2.1 Hindu Kush-Himalaya-Karakoram -- 7.2.2.2 Pamir -- 7.2.2.3 Tibetan Plateau -- 7.2.3 Projected Changes -- 7.2.4 Recommendations -- 7.3 Glaciers -- 7.3.1 Measuring Glacier Change -- 7.3.1.1 Glacier Area -- 7.3.1.2 Glacier Volume -- 7.3.1.3 In Situ Mass Balance Measurements and Reference Glaciers -- 7.3.2 Observed Changes -- 7.3.2.1 Hindu Kush-Himalaya-Karakoram -- 7.3.2.2 Pamir -- 7.3.2.3 Tibetan Plateau -- 7.3.3 Glacier Projections -- 7.3.3.1 Near-Term Glacier Change (2030) -- 7.3.3.2 Medium-Term Glacier Change (2050) -- 7.3.3.3 Long-Term Glacier Change (2080 and 2100) -- 7.3.4 Recommendations -- 7.4 Glacial Lakes -- 7.4.1 Occurrence -- 7.4.2 Observed Change -- 7.4.3 Projections -- 7.4.4 Recommendations -- 7.5 Permafrost.

7.5.1 Occurrence.