PESHAWAR: A three days training workshop by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in collaboration with the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), and the National Centre of Excellence in Geology (NCEG) on cryosphere monitoring has been kicked off on Tuesday.
According to a press release issued here, the workshop aims to enhance the capabilities of participants from various institutions and universities across Pakistan, enabling them to conduct independent research and monitoring of glaciers, snow, and permafrost.
Participants are introduced to methods and tools for collecting and analyzing data on glaciers, snow, and permafrost, utilizing both fieldwork and advanced satellite remote sensing technology.
The cryosphere, including glaciers, snow, and permafrost in High Mountain Asia, supplies water to approximately one-fifth of the world’s population.
Monitoring these components is crucial for assessing meltwater, especially during dry seasons, and for evaluating cryosphe
re-related hazards such as avalanches, landslides, and debris flows.
In the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, including the Karakoram, long-term monitoring of glaciers, snow, and permafrost is sparse.
Given the large spatial coverage of the cryosphere in the HKH, it is vital to understand how it is changing in response to climate change.
Field-based monitoring, complemented by remote sensing observations, is essential to gain insights into the current and future state of the cryosphere in this region.
Building on the success of previous sessions held in 2019, 2020, and 2022, this workshop reaffirms our commitment to advancing cryosphere research and monitoring in the region.
By the end of the training, participants will be equipped to generate and analyze cryosphere data independently.
Addressing the participants, Sher Muhammed, Cryosphere Specialist at ICIMOD, highlighted that the training focuses on glacier, snow, and permafrost monitoring techniques and enhanced participants’ abilities to access and
utilize remote sensing and field data, many of which are freely accessible worldwide.
Sher mentioned that several of the trainees from the trainings in the past, have changed their specialization field after participating in our trainings to glaciology and published research papers in reputed journals – which is encouraging for us.
Improved data access will also aid in predicting future models of glacial changes in the northern region of Pakistan.
Dr. Noman Latif, Senior Director at CEWRI, PARC in his address commended ICIMOD’s efforts in enhancing cryosphere capacity in Pakistan and acknowledged the challenges posed by the harsh environment in cryosphere research.
He encouraged students and training participants to engage actively and make the most of this opportunity to learn about the cryosphere.
Dr. Liaqat Ali, Director of NCEG spoke about the collaborative efforts in organizing the event, recalling ICIMOD’s country consultation meeting from the previous year.
He appreciated ICIMOD’s contributions t
o capacity building in Pakistan over the past few years and expressed interest in continuing these efforts in the future.
Sher noted that since 2019, ICIMOD has been conducting regional and local training sessions to build the capacities of professionals in glacier and snow monitoring.
This training is designed based on feedback from previous sessions. ICIMOD plans to follow up with participants to support further studies focused on cryosphere research, leveraging past experiences and ongoing research efforts in the region.
Dr. Shaukat Ali provided an overview of past collaborations and the initiation of capacity-building activities by ICIMOD in Pakistan.
He highlighted the Ministry of Climate Change’s interest in these initiatives and mentioned that previous trainees have published joint research papers with us.