The Himalaya have long stood as symbols of permanence. Recent events reveal just how fragile they actually are. Across the Third Pole, retreating glaciers, unstable slopes, changing rivers, floods, and landslides are reshaping both landscapes and lives. Using Nepal as the immediate point of departure, this panel asks how governments and communities must rethink where, what, and how to rebuild in a landscape of changing risk. Bringing together mountain science, community experience, human rights, and adaptation, the discussion explores infrastructure, livelihoods, mobility, cultural and sacred connections, and how local knowledge can help shape a more resilient Himalayan future.
Panel Members
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Jesselina Rana, UN Advisor, CIVICUS
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Phurpa Sherpa, Public Relations and Communication Officer, Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations
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Alton C. Byers, Senior Research Associate; Co-Manager, High Mountains Adaptation Partnership (HiMAP); Senior Fellow, The Mountain Institute
Moderated by
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Sophia Kalantzakos, Global Distinguished Professor in Environmental Studies and Public Policy, SMSP NYUAD; Founding Head of the Geopolitics and Ecology of Himalayan Water Research Initiative, NYUAD
