The hindu kush himalaya call to action: Sustaining mountain environments and improving livelihoods

Abstract

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is the pulse of the planet. Being at the top of the world, changes happen here before anywhere else, and its beat vibrates across the globe. But urgent actions are required to ensure the health of this global asset and the wellbeing of its people. The uniqueness of HKH mountain people should be recognized and prioritized, and ecosystem services protected by halting biodiversity loss and land degradation. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the HKH needs to become a global top priority, and keeping global warming below the ambitious 1.58C target is especially urgent here. To achieve all of this, more sharing of information and more robust regional cooperation are required. These 6 urgent actions summarize the HKH Call to Action, formulated through a rigorous consultative process coordinated by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in the 8 HKH countries, based on the key findings of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment report [https:// link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-92288-1].