Strengthening climate resilience from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal

The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have signed a Joint Statement of Understanding launching the Glacier to Ocean project, a transformative initiative connecting the Himalaya and the Bay of Bengal through integrated climate action.

Often referred to as the “Third Pole,” the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) holds the world’s largest volume of ice outside the polar regions. Its glaciers feed major rivers that sustain some 270 million people in the hills and mountains and 1.65 billion people in the basins downstream. However, the region faces accelerated glacial melt, erratic rainfall, and rising flood and drought risks, which cascades to lowland areas and the ocean.

By linking mountain and marine ecosystems, the Glacier to Ocean project addresses climate impacts across the entire source-to-sea continuum, a rare but critical approach in climate adaptation and sustainability planning.

The cross-regional partnership between ICIMOD and OPRI-SPF aims to address shared environmental challenges—from glacial retreat in the HKH to biodiversity loss and marine pollution in the Bay of Bengal—to strengthen resilience across the Ganges Basin.

This initiative will aim to:

• Develop and strengthen early warning systems for glacial hazards and climate risks in the Ganges Basin, with a focus on upstream-downstream linkages
• Promote community-based, gender-responsive adaptation strategies across river basins
• Apply eDNA technologies to assess and monitor marine biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to change due to climate change
• Raise awareness and support policy engagement on heavy metal and plastic pollution and its relevance to watershed environments
• Generate knowledge across the Ganges Basin to support evidence-based regional policies for climate adaptation, sustainable water management, and resilience – from the glaciers to the ocean.