A three days joint workshop of the project partners of the APN Project ARCP2008-16NMY-Shrestha entitled “Impacts of Global Change on the Dynamics of Snow, Glaciers and Runoff over the Himalayan Mountains and Their Consequences for Highland and Downstream Regions” was held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 17 – 19 February 2010. Participants from the project collaborator Institutions in India, Nepal and Pakistan together with those from the other local partner Institutions and stakeholders exchanged and shared their research studies results and experiences. The conspicuous absence of the team from China was regretfully noted.

The workshop started with the Introductory Session wherein Project leader Dr. K. L. Shrestha welcomed the participants and briefly presented the objectives of the workshop together with strategy and activities undertaken in the year one in attaining the project objectives. It was followed by presentations summarizing the activities undertaken in India, Nepal and Pakistan by the representatives from the respective countries.

Supplementary presentations on similar project relevant works carried out by various other institutions in the following Session provide an opportunity for the exchange of views and experiences amongst the participants representing a broader circle.

Detailed presentations were made by respective researchers on exercises carried out on the Regional Climate Model, Snow and Glacial Melt Runoff and Hydrology in the selected study areas in the Himalayan range in the three subsequent Technical Sessions. Each presentation was followed by discussions trying to compare results and share knowledge and experience amongst the country study teams.

Likewise, discussions were also held on various methods for impact assessment of the hydrological changes on the water availability and food security, on the hydropower generation potentials and on the society & economy in the upland and downstream regions.

The workshop concluded with accord on using similar RCMs in all the selected basins as well as on the methods to be adopted for bias corrections before using the RCM results for projecting hydrological changes. It was stressed that the hydrological projections have to reflect the average of at least about a decade so that the projected hydrological changes could be considered to be due to change in climate rather than due to erratic weather changes. In addition, concurrence was reached on selection of methodologies and working procedures to conduct in accordance the impact assessment in the second year for attaining the key objectives of the above APN project.

At he end, it was also agreed to prepare and publish joint papers in suitable peer reviewed international journals by integrating the relevant works of all the country study teams carried out during the first year period.