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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. |