The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) conducted an interactive meeting on 26 April with Professor Baker Perry, a leading and distinguished climatologist from the University of Nevada at Reno, to boost vital climate in the Himalayas, to significantly strengthen high-altitude climate research.
Mr. Bhawani S. Dongol, Executive Director of SEN, provided an overview of SEN’s vital programs and projects. Ms. Susa Manandhar, Program Assistant of SEN, presented the SEN’s project concept on ‘Himalayas at Risk: Precipitation Shift Threatening Future Water Resources and Livelihoods’, and application of the Cold Regional Hydrological Modelling (CRHM), in the Everest region. CRHM has been developed by Prof. John Pomeroy and his team in the Centre for Hydrology, University of Saskatchewan. The Program was moderated by Ms. Ayaswori Byanju, a Project Collaborator from SEN.
Dr. Dhiraj Pradhananga, President of SEN and PI of the APN Project, presented and discussed the project activities ‘predicting precipitation shifts and enhancing climate resilience in South Asia and China.’ A key focus was expanding this critical research to encompass the Langtang, Everest, Karnali, and Mustang basins, intentionally involving social scientists, young researchers, and integrating essential indigenous and local knowledge, with concrete plans to include citizen scientists. Importantly, the discussions also addressed how the project’s activities and outcomes can actively contribute to the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP 2025), the strategic priorities of UNESCO’s IHP Strategic Plan IX (2022-2029), and the overarching objectives of the UN Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025-2034).
Dr. Perry actively engaged with SEN’s team and students from Tribhuvan University, providing valuable guidance on their research. He shared key insights from his early work at Imja Lake and his expertise on precipitation dynamics, expressing strong interest in collaborating with SEN, including through the Fulbright Specialist Program. The meeting yielded discussions on potential joint research on precipitation phase change, snow, and glaciers, as well as coordinating field activities in the Everest region and developing joint training for the APN Project’s participating nations, all with the intent of generating valuable data and knowledge for the IYGP, IHP IX, and the UN Decade of Action.
This partnership with Dr. Perry will undoubtedly amplify SEN’s capacity to generate impactful climate research in the Himalayas and position their work as a meaningful contribution to the global efforts focused on glacier preservation and cryospheric science during this crucial decade.
