As part of the High-altitude Monasteries for Data Acquisition, Tracking & Awareness (HiM-DATA) project, the project team is meeting with stakeholders individually to discuss project objectives, co-create ideas on how the project can be taken forward, identify key local climate challenges to be addressed, map interested monastic members, and extend invitations for the upcoming workshop to initiate the project collaboratively.
The team held a meeting with Mr. Pema Wangden Gurung, Vice-Chairman of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, Dolpa. During the discussion, Mr. Gurung shared insights on the impacts of climate change in Dolpa, highlighting that snowfall has significantly reduced and become increasingly untimely in recent years. He explained how these changes have affected local communities, influencing livelihoods, employment opportunities, and migration patterns. He also emphasized the importance of the HiM-DATA project, noting that it would be highly beneficial for improving climate understanding and supporting local-level decision-making.
The team also met with Mr. Pema Tamang from Tharpe Decheling Monastery, where discussions focused on the project overview, objectives, and its relevance from a community perspective. Mr. Pema shared local observations and perspectives, highlighting the value of community knowledge in understanding long-term climate variability and change.
Both Mr. Gurung and Mr. Tamang expressed strong interest in collaborating further with the HiM-DATA initiative and confirmed their willingness to participate in the upcoming workshop. The discussions underscored the importance of engaging local institutions and community representatives to ensure that project outcomes are inclusive, practical, and beneficial at the grassroots level.
