Day Three Photos and Reflections

Day three of the workshop included case studies; discussion of personal experiences and best practices related to glacial retreat, climate change, watershed and downstream impacts; and indigenous perspectives.

Alejandra Martinez

• In addition to glacier retreat, we are finding changes in other variables, including air temperature.
• We have found a 1.3-degree Celsius increase in average maximum air temperature over the last 50 years of data collection.
• We need more studies of meteorological variables.
  

Alton Byers

• Comparing historic and contemporary photographs of glaciers in the Mt. Everest region, it is clear that even the world’s highest mountains are strongly impacted by climate change.
• We need more information from local people to fully understand the range of climate impacts and prospective solutions.
  

Adina Racoviteanu

• Using field research, remote sensing, and interviews with local people, we are trying to integrate the science of climate change with indigenous knowledge of how things are changing on the ground. Changes in climate and impacts on mountains and glaciers is already having an impact on the culture, beliefs, and practices of mountain peoples.

Pablo Lagos (left) and Mats Eriksson (right)

Lagos:

• We have 80 years of data from the Mantaro Valley and are now using remote sensing, water sampling, and isotope analysis to further monitor the region. Combining these methods with the IPCC scenarios we are able to assess the future of water availability in this region.

Eriksson:

• We must reduce the knowledge gaps in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region regarding climate change and its impact on water availability.
• The current local adaptation strategies need to be documented and their long-term sustainability assessed.
• The influence—and sometimes lack thereof—of current policies and their enforcement on local people’s adaptation ability need to be understood.