- Mountains nurturing communities
- Balancing development pressures
- Regional cooperation and tourism
- The Everest factor
Sustainable Summits 2021 Nepal
Sharing solutions for protecting and preserving the worlds mountain regions
About The Event
5th international conference sharing solutions for protecting and preserving the world’s mountain regions
The Sustainable Summits Conferences are inspired by the growing pressures on our mountain environments, the need to find solutions to the impacts of such pressures – overcrowding, waste, noise and more – and a drive to uphold values in sustaining these environments. Details can be found on http://sustainablesummits.org.
The Sustainable Summits conference is being held in Nepal to showcase the country’s mountain environment, highlight climate change issues and bring international attention to Nepal’s mountain tourism.
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Conference Themes
The Purpose
- As a lead up to COP 26 (2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference) in Glasgow November 2021, assess climate change impacts in the HKH
- To honour mountain voices and to promote increased understanding of the Himalaya as an “abode of the gods”
- To provide a platform for issues from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region to be discussed, debated and consolidated in order to influence policy and to have a unified voice in other global arenas
- To strengthen tourism to the Hindu Kush Himalaya region
- To learn and share global best practices in the four themes of the conference
- To explore opportunities for national and regional cooperation
- To synergize national, regional and global networks for strengthening mountain solutions in the region
Organizing Committee
This Conference will be hosted by Climate Alliance of Himalayan Communities, CAHC, Himalayan Climate Initiative in association with ICIMOD. The core organizing committee comprises Ang Tshering Sherpa, Dawa Steven Sherpa, Dr. Ganesh Gurung, Lisa Choegyal and Prashant Singh.
Speakers
A range of relevant speakers have been invited, particularly focusing on international presenters, and Hindu Kush Himalayan speakers with experience from Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and stakeholders from the Great Himalaya Trail.
Dr. Alton C. ByersSr. Research Associate and Faculty, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado at Boulder
Alton C. Byers, Ph.D. is a mountain geographer, conservationist, and mountaineer specializing in applied research, high altitude ecosystems, climate change, glacier hazards, and integrated conservation and development programs. He is currently a Senior Research Associate and Faculty at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), University of Colorado at Boulder; Senior Fellow at The Mountain Institute; and National Geographic Society Explorer and Expeditions Expert.
Dr. Alton C. ByersSr. Research Associate and Faculty, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado at Boulder
Alton C. Byers, Ph.D. is a mountain geographer, conservationist, and mountaineer specializing in applied research, high altitude ecosystems, climate change, glacier hazards, and integrated conservation and development programs. He is currently a Senior Research Associate and Faculty at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), University of Colorado at Boulder; Senior Fellow at The Mountain Institute; and National Geographic Society Explorer and Expeditions Expert.
Dawa Steven SherpaNepalese Sherpa entrepreneur & Mountaineer
Short Bio Here
Dawa Steven SherpaNepalese Sherpa entrepreneur & Mountaineer
Short Bio Here
Dr. Ghana S. GurungCountry Representative, WWF Nepal
Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung is the Country Representative of WWF Nepal. Ghana holds a PhD in Natural Science from the University of Zurich in 2006 and holds over 20 plus years of experience in species and people centred natural resource management, ecotourism development, linking conservation with faith groups, policy engagement and project negotiations. As the Country Representative, Dr. Gurung’s key responsibility lies in providing strategic direction to the organization, raising funds for projects in Nepal, and ensuring conservation successes that contribute to WWF’s global mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and build a future in which people live in harmony with nature.
He previously served as the Senior Conservation Program Director at WWF Nepal, and has worked in nature conservation for the last two decades. Under his leadership in conservation
programs, Nepal has witnessed growth in key wildlife species including tigers, rhinos and snow leopards and has celebrated four years of zero rhino poaching while encompassing community-based institutions as local stewards of nature conservation. He is one of the founding members of community based conservation areas and landscape level conservation, playing a key role in designing and implementing these landmark achievements in Nepal. He is also the Snow Leopard Champion for the WWF Network, and has also been instrumental in formalizing transboundary cooperation with China and India for conservation and wildlife trade control. Before joining WWF, Ghana worked for National Trust for Nature Conservation in different management capacities.
Dr. Ghana S. GurungCountry Representative, WWF Nepal
Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung is the Country Representative of WWF Nepal. Ghana holds a PhD in Natural Science from the University of Zurich in 2006 and holds over 20 plus years of experience in species and people centred natural resource management, ecotourism development, linking conservation with faith groups, policy engagement and project negotiations. As the Country Representative, Dr. Gurung’s key responsibility lies in providing strategic direction to the organization, raising funds for projects in Nepal, and ensuring conservation successes that contribute to WWF’s global mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and build a future in which people live in harmony with nature.
He previously served as the Senior Conservation Program Director at WWF Nepal, and has worked in nature conservation for the last two decades. Under his leadership in conservation
programs, Nepal has witnessed growth in key wildlife species including tigers, rhinos and snow leopards and has celebrated four years of zero rhino poaching while encompassing community-based institutions as local stewards of nature conservation. He is one of the founding members of community based conservation areas and landscape level conservation, playing a key role in designing and implementing these landmark achievements in Nepal. He is also the Snow Leopard Champion for the WWF Network, and has also been instrumental in formalizing transboundary cooperation with China and India for conservation and wildlife trade control. Before joining WWF, Ghana worked for National Trust for Nature Conservation in different management capacities.
Rt Hon Helen ClarkFormer Prime Minister of New Zealand
Helen Clark is a former New Zealand Prime Minister and a Former UNDP Administrator.
She currently Chairs the Boards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. Helen also serves on other public good Advisory Boards.
Helen is a frequent contributor to Conferences, and events, on issues related to Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Women’s Leadership.
Rt Hon Helen ClarkFormer Prime Minister of New Zealand
Helen Clark is a former New Zealand Prime Minister and a Former UNDP Administrator.
She currently Chairs the Boards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. Helen also serves on other public good Advisory Boards.
Helen is a frequent contributor to Conferences, and events, on issues related to Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Women’s Leadership.
Reinhold MessnerSouth Tyrolean mountaineer, adventurer, explorer, author and filmmaker
Pic Copyright - Andreas Panzenberger
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Climber, writer, filmmaker, photographer and Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004, Reinhold Messner started climbing mountains at the age of five and has been one of the world’s most outstanding mountaineers for thirty years. In his over three thousand climbs he has achieved over a hundred first ascents, and was the first to climb all of the world's 8000-metre peaks. Messner was the first to reach Mount Everest's top without oxygen support. He has crossed by foot the Antarctic, Greenland, Tibet, the deserts Gobi and Takla Makan.
Reinhold MessnerSouth Tyrolean mountaineer, adventurer, explorer, author and filmmaker
Pic Copyright - Andreas Panzenberger
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Climber, writer, filmmaker, photographer and Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004, Reinhold Messner started climbing mountains at the age of five and has been one of the world’s most outstanding mountaineers for thirty years. In his over three thousand climbs he has achieved over a hundred first ascents, and was the first to climb all of the world's 8000-metre peaks. Messner was the first to reach Mount Everest's top without oxygen support. He has crossed by foot the Antarctic, Greenland, Tibet, the deserts Gobi and Takla Makan.
Schedule
The organizing committee is working on the final schedule. The Draft however gives an indication on how the program will be scheduled.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- ICIMOD
09:00 AMArrival
International participants arrive at Park Village Resort
01:00 PMRegistration
Registration opens at the pre-conference hall
04:30 PM - 05:30 PMSpeakers meet
Speakers meeting at Park Village Resort
06:00 PMWelcome Reception
Welcome reception and buffet dinner. ( For participants staying in the Park Village Resort only and organisers )
- ICIMOD
10:15 AM - 08:30 PMDAY 2
8:00 – 8:55: Registration
9:00 – 10:15: Opening Inaugural Session
10:15-12:30: Mountains nurturing communities
(10:45 – 11:10: Coffee Break with VNY2020 films )
12:30 – 13:30: Conference Lunch – with photo slide show
13:30 – 18:00: Development pressures – balancing local priorities, conservation and tourism
(15:15– 15:45: Coffee Break – with slide show)
16:45 -18:00 Panel & Discussion: 5 minutes each and discussion:
Balancing pressures & visitor overcrowding
18:00 – 19:25: Dinner and networking
Closing Remarks
- ICIMOD
08:00 AM - 08:30 PMDay 3
8:00: Resident participants depart from Park Village Resort by bus
Non-resident participants depart by bus from a pickup point
9:00 – 12:00: FIELD TRIP: ICIMOD – Knowledge Park Godavari – Field Visit
12:00 – 12:45 : Conference Lunch
13:00 – 1400: All return by bus to Park Village Resort
14:00 – 15:55: Sustainable mountaineering – the Everest factor
(15:30 – 15:55: Coffee Break with photos )
16:00 – 17:15: Panel & discussion: 5 minutes each then facilitated discussion: Solutions on managing Everest
17:15 – 18:00: Q&A and discussions on managing Everest
18:00 – 19:30: Dinner and networking
19:30 – 20:15: Speaker 12: Keynote Everest issues and solutions
8:15pm – 8:30pm: Q&A and discussion facilitated by Dr Ganesh Gurung
- ICIMOD
09:00 AMDay 4
9:00 – 11:00: Outdoor Workshops
- Workshop 1 Glacier impacts
- Workshop 2 Forest user group issues
- Workshop 3 Air pollution
- Workshop 4 Himalayan climate mitigation at HCI
11:00 – 11:30: Coffee Break with film
11:30: Mountain regional cooperation
12:00 – 13:00: Cleaning up – regional mountain waste management solutions and innovations
13:00 – 14:00: Conference Lunch at Park Village Resort with film
14:00 – 16:00: Managing people and safety in mountain environments
(16:00 – 16:30: Coffee Break with film)
16:30 – 17:30: Session: Past achievements and future directions of SS2020
Closure of the Conference
18:30 – 19:30 : Invitational Drinks
19:30 – Closing Dinner
- ICIMOD
Day 5
Optional visit to Lhakura Bhanjjang with Ang Tshering Sherpa
Departure
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