International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

About International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development: 

• It is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre working on behalf of the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
• It was formally established and inaugurated on 5 December 1983.
• Mission: To build and share knowledge that drives regional policy and action and attracts investment that enables the diverse countries and communities of the HKH to transition to greener, more inclusive, and climate resilient development.
• Member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Governance

• Its Board of Governors is the highest governing body of the centre. 
• It consists of one representative from each of eight regional member countries and independent members who are nominated by the ICIMOD Support Group based on their recognized professional expertise and experience.

Functions

• It serves the region through information and knowledge generation and sharing to find innovative solutions to critical mountain problems.
• It bridges science with policies and on-the-ground practices.
• It provides a regional platform where experts, planners, policymakers, and practitioners can exchange ideas and perspectives towards the achievement of sustainable mountain development.
• Headquarter: Kathmandu, Nepal

Key facts about Hindu Kush Himalaya

• The HKH region extends 3,500 km over all or part of eight countries from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east.
• It is the source of ten large Asian river systems – the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra (Yarlungtsanpo), Irrawaddy, Salween (Nu), Mekong (Lancang), Yangtse (Jinsha), Yellow River (Huanghe), and Tarim (Dayan).
• It provides water, ecosystem services, and the basis for livelihoods to people in the region.

Q1:What is Biosphere?

The e biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees to the dark environment of ocean trenches, to lush rainforests and high mountaintops.

Source:Hindu Kush Himalaya is a ‘biosphere on the brink’: ICIMOD