The International Conference on Nature-based Solutions (NBS) for Enhanced Climate Resilience and Livelihoods in the Himalayas is being organized at a critical time when climate change is increasingly affecting lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, water resources, ecosystems, and economic development across the Himalayan region. The frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards, including glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), riverine floods, droughts, heat waves, and landslides, have exposed the growing vulnerability of mountain communities and ecosystems. The 2014 Kashmir floods alone affected nearly two million people and caused economic losses estimated at approximately ₹21,000 crores, underscoring the urgent need for effective and sustainable climate adaptation strategies.
Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) are increasingly recognized globally as practical and cost-effective approaches for reducing climate and disaster risks while generating multiple co-benefits, including enhanced water and food security, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, ecosystem restoration, public health improvement, and sustainable livelihood creation. Investments in forests, wetlands, watersheds, rivers, and other natural ecosystems can strengthen resilience to floods and droughts, improve environmental quality, and support long-term economic sustainability.

Against this backdrop, the conference provides a timely platform for bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, industry experts, development organizations, and financial institutions to deliberate on innovative ecosystem-based approaches for climate resilience and sustainable development in the Himalayas. The conference will facilitate knowledge exchange on ecosystem restoration, watershed management, wetland conservation, GeoAI-enabled environmental monitoring, forest carbon assessment, and community-driven adaptation and mitigation strategies. It will also highlight the role of geospatial technologies, digital innovation, and climate-smart planning in supporting effective implementation of NBS and NCS.

A key feature of the conference is the High-Level Policy Dialogue involving government agencies, development partners, academia, and the private sector to identify policy, research, investment, and financing priorities for scaling up Nature-based Solutions in the Himalayan region. The conference is expected to generate actionable recommendations on science, technology, policy, and financing while fostering collaborative partnerships that can accelerate the adoption of NBS and NCS for climate-resilient ecosystems, sustainable livelihoods, and long-term environmental security in the Himalayas.