Himalayan Consensus Summit 2019 – Himalayan Consensus Summit

When

2 April, 2019

Where

Hotel Himalaya, Lalitpur

Himalayan Consensus Summit

Himalayan Consensus Summit (HCS) is a multi-stakeholder event convening environmentalists, civil societies, government, development institutions, business leaders and private sectors across the Himalayan region to forge pragmatic solutions that can offer communities’ economic empowerment and resilience against climate distortion.

Program Outline

2 April, 2019 • Lalitpur

Program Outline

8:00 am – 8:40 am | Registration

8:40 am - 9:30 am | Opening Session

The opening session will have speakers highlight the need for an innovative and integrated approach to secure a sustainable future and explain the role played by platforms like Himalayan Consensus to develop the concept in the region.

Speakers: Ambassador Elisabeth von Capeller, Ambassador Veronica Cody, Mahendra P. Lama, Valerie Julliand

9:30 am - 9:45 am | Work for a Brighter Future: The Changing Dynamics in the World of Work

This session will be a presentation highlighting major findings from the Global Commission on the future of work report titled ‘Work for a Brighter Future’. Stressing upon the impact of the changing technological, sustainable and demographic advances upon the labor market and the overall world of work, the presentation will put forth important considerations for the ensuing discussions.

Speakers: Richard S Howard

9:45 am - 10:45 am | Session I: The Himalayan Circular Economy

Sustainable development in any region is unachievable without a systemic shift towards circular economy- a fresh development paradigm that integrates economic activity and sustainability. Speakers will discuss the crucial transformation towards a prosperous and low-carbon development in the region and its effects on the contemporary developmental issues.

Speaker: Kezang, Kushal Harjani, Shanti Karanjit, Sixit Bhatta
Moderator: Sujeev Shakya

10:45 am – 11:10 am | Tea Break

11:10 am - 11:25 am |Migration and Development in The Himalayan Region

This session will primarily discuss the important nexux between migration and development in the Himalayan region.

Speaker: Ambassador Pietro Mona

11:25 am - 11:40 am | The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment: Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People

This session will highlight the major findings from the recently released Hindu
Kush Himalaya Assessment report, a landmark report with massive scientific
research by over 300 researchers on climate change impacts in the Hindu Kush
Himalayan region.

Speaker: Philippus Wester

11:40 am - 1:00 pm | Session II: Understanding Himalayan Migration

The High Himalayas is losing its battle to climate change – evident with the rapid melting of glaciers, extreme weather patterns and sudden-onset hazards This has affected the region’s hydrological system and agricultural productivity, thereby threatening livelihoods and intensifying and exacerbating migration. Speakers will delve upon the interconnectedness of disaster and displacement in the Himalayan region by highlighting key agenda, considerations, needs and interventions. There will be further
discussion on best practices and bilateral agreements concerning climatically-induced migration, identification of gaps in policy along with necessary recommendations.

Speakers: Amina Maharjan, Jony Mainaly, Paul I. Norton
Moderator: Diva Shrestha

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Session III: Overcoming Himalayan Challenges

The Himalayan region is plagued with a lot of challenges and issues- from Disasters to lack of Data to Deprivation in facing the same. Fortunately, there have been many promising initiatives and individuals working on addressing such issues. This session will have such speakers introduce their work and further discuss any setbacks they have faced to keep it in continuum. By doing so, the session aims to provide the audience with valuable lessons in understanding the Himalayan dynamics and complexities.

Speakers: Nikita Bajracharya, Sonam Jatso, Songqiao Yao
Moderator: Amish Raj Mulmi

3:00 pm – 3:10 pm | BreaK- Stage Set Up

3:10 pm - 4:10 pm | Session IV: Making Himalayan Initiatives Work

The Silk Spice Road Dialogues were initiated as an outcome of the Himalayan Consensus Summit 2018 to establish a platform for think tanks to communicate ideas and seek solutions toward building synergy and collaboration for reducing the potential for conflict. The first dialogue was commenced in 2018 focusing on strengthening the China-India relationship with attention on shared environmental management and technology collaboration. Representatives from different regional think tanks will present the importance of such dialogue and further share their approach to continue such discourses.

Speakers: Ajaya Dixit, Duncan Overfield, Meeta S. Pradhan
Moderator: Sagar Prasai

4:10 pm – 4:35 pm | Tea Break

4:35 pm - 5:20 pm | Closing Session

Over the years, Himalayan Consensus has been a platform for many fresh initiatives and ideas. This session will have speakers update on the progress made by such initiatives as well as introduce new ones for a shared and sustainable future in the region.