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ICIMOD Verified account @icimod · Aug 4, 2025

In the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), often called the ‘Third Pole’, towering glaciers, forests, and vast rangelands sustain biodiversity, feed Asia’s great rivers, and support the livelihoods of mountain communities.

Glaciers, our frozen lifelines, are melting at alarming rates due to rising temperatures and pollution. Without urgent action, we could lose up to 80% of them by 2100.

Rangelands, which quietly span over half the HKH, are degrading under pressure – threatening pastoralist communities, local economies, and biodiversity.

2025 is the UN Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, and 2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists – a global call to protect these vital landscapes.

That’s why ICIMOD’s Dr Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2025 will honour:
🔹Glacier Guardians – those preserving glaciers through science, advocacy, and community action.
🔹Rangeland Champions – those working on rangeland restoration and pastoralist resilience.

Two prizes of USD 2,500 each.

If you know a Glacier Guardian or a Rangeland Champion working in the HKH nations (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, or Pakistan), nominate them today by filling out this form: forms.icimod.org/mountain-prize…

Let’s celebrate those protecting our mountains – for water security, climate justice, and a sustainable future.

Nominations close: 15 Oct 2025

For more information: icimod.org/mountainprize2…

Winners will be announced on 11 Dec 2025, the International Day for Mountains.

#IYGP #Glaciers2025 #IYRP2026 #MountainPrize

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ICIMOD Verified account @icimod · Dec 11, 2024

On International Mountain Day, ICIMOD presented the Dr Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2024. This annual award honours the legacy of our former Director General, Dr Andreas Schild, a tireless champion for the world's mountains and the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. His dedication continues to inspire those whose lives he touched during his long and eminent career.

This year, we recognise Restoration Heroes who have made a significant and lasting impact on:

🔹The restoration and conservation of water and mountain landscape

🔹Excellence in climate communication.

Award Winners:

🏔Restoration and Conservation of Water and Mountain Landscapes
Trachung Palzang, Trachung Tsang Center for Ecological and Cultural Preservation, China
For the initiative ‘Pastoralists-Led Rangeland Restoration and Conservation on the Zoige Plateau’, combining science and community engagement to restore rangeland ecosystems.
(Award received on his behalf by ICIMOD staff member Ms. Feng Yuan.)

🖊Excellence in Climate Communication
Abdul Mujeeb, Ibex Media Network, Pakistan
For ‘Mountales: Bridging Communities and Climate Action’, advancing accessible, culturally relevant media that empowers mountain communities.

🍃Honorable Mention
Pema Pradhan, Jaubari Restoration Committee, Nepal
For the initiative ‘Plant A Red Panda Home (PARPH)’, restoring red panda habitats in eastern Nepal through active plantation and natural regeneration.

Through these prestigious awards, ICIMOD seeks not only to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the awardees but to also inspire others to join the critical mission of preserving our mountain ecosystems.

Learn more about their work here: icimod.org/mountainprize2…

#InternationalMountainDay #MountainChampions #RestorationHeroes #ICIMOD #ClimateAction #ICIMODMountainPrize @IbexMedianetwrk @RedPandaNetwork

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ICIMOD Verified account @icimod · Dec 11, 2024

From the Ponkhar Glacier, Manang, Nepal, a message from our first cohort of HKH Women on Ice to the world on International Mountain Day.

Mountain ecosystems are fragile and are on the front lines of climate change impacts. If current emissions continue, Himalayan glaciers could lose up to two-thirds of their volume by the end of this century.

"Climate change is a crime scene. The glaciers are making it visible. We cannot look the other way," says Miriam Jackson, a glaciologist and climate scientist with extensive experience from High Mountain Asia, the Arctic, and the Antarctic, leading the HKH Women on Ice expedition.

Follow their journey through this live blog as they shatter the "ice ceiling" and pave the way for future generations of female scientists in the HKH region: icimod.org/event/cryosphe…

Join us live on December 13th as they share their experience of the expedition: hkh.pub/BreakingTheIce…

#Cryosphere #IYGP #Glaciers #SaveOurSnow #HKHWomenOnIce #InternationalMountainDay
@arunbshrestha @Neera_S_P @fshrestha @aishwarya_721 @DrMiriamJackson @the_mimosa @chimis

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