Himalayan nations agree to collaborate on climate

Nations are doing it for themselves. In the absence of a global agreement, four of the seven countries bordering the Himalayas have agreed to work together to deal with the harmful effects that climate change is expected to bring to the region.

India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan met at the Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas in Thimphu, Bhutan, last weekend. There, they agreed to work together on issues including food and water security.

All four countries rely on melt water from Himalayan glaciers. Recent temperature, rainfall and snow projections suggest flow into the Indus river ? which supports the world's largest irrigation system ? will fall by 8 per cent by 2050. Other rivers in the region will see even greater declines, leaving millions vulnerable to drought (Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.1183188).

Upstream dams built with regional cooperation could help control the flow ? and generate electricity into the bargain, says Saleemul Huq of the International Institute for Environment and Development in London. "It's a significant step forward for the region."

Historically, Himalayan countries have rarely worked together, but regional cooperation could be the best way to tackle climate change ? especially as the upcoming UN climate change talks in Durban, South Africa, are not expected to produce a global treaty. To have a lasting impact, though, the group will need to include China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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