OPRI-SPF, ICIMOD ink deal to strengthen climate resilience from Himalayas to Bay of Bengal

The Glacier to Ocean project, a game-changing endeavor that connects the Himalaya and the Bay of Bengal through integrated climate action, was launched by the signing of a Joint Statement of Understanding between the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF).

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), sometimes known as the “Third Pole,” is home to the most ice outside of the polar regions in the world, according to a press release issued today by ICIMOD.

Major rivers nourished by its glaciers support 1.65 billion people in the lowlands downstream and about 270 million people in the hills and mountains.

However, the region faces accelerated glacial melt, erratic rainfall, and rising flood and drought risks, which cascades to lowland areas and the ocean. 

By linking mountain and marine ecosystems, the Glacier to Ocean project addresses climate impacts across the entire source-to-sea continuum, a rare but critical approach in climate adaptation and sustainability planning. 

The cross-regional partnership between ICIMOD and OPRI-SPF aims to address shared environmental challenges—from glacial retreat in the HKH to biodiversity loss and marine pollution in the Bay of Bengal—to strengthen resilience across the Ganges Basin. 

With an emphasis on upstream-downstream connections, the project will create and enhance early warning systems for glacial hazards and climate risks in the Ganges Basin.

Across river basins, it will support gender-responsive, community-based adaptation initiatives.

Additionally, eDNA technology will be used to monitor and evaluate the Bay of Bengal’s marine biodiversity, which is predicted to change as a result of climate change.

The initiative will assist policy engagement and launch an awareness campaign about the importance of plastic and heavy metal pollution to watershed environments.

Knowledge will be generated across the Ganges Basin to support evidence-based regional policies for climate adaptation, sustainable water management, and resilience – from the glaciers to the ocean.