Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Nagaland University, Lumami, Dr Manasi Debnath, represented India at the Regional Dialogue on Permafrost Research in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, organised by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal, on July 30–31.

The high-level scientific dialogue, organised under ICIMOD’s Climate and Environmental Risks programme, brought together experts and regional representatives from Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan to assess the current state of permafrost research in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region and discuss critical knowledge gaps, observational challenges and the need for stronger transboundary scientific collaboration.

Representing the Indian delegation, Dr Debnath presented an Eastern Himalayan perspective, highlighting the interconnected impacts of permafrost degradation, glacier retreat and glacial lake dynamics on cascading natural hazards, including landslides, debris flows and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).

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She noted that these climate-induced changes are increasingly threatening mountain communities, critical infrastructure and water resources across the Himalayan region, reinforcing the urgent need for collaborative scientific research and monitoring.

The regional dialogue underscored the importance of establishing a coordinated Himalayan permafrost monitoring and research network by integrating field observations, remote sensing, modelling and cross-border scientific knowledge sharing.

Dr Debnath’s participation further strengthened Nagaland University’s contribution to research on the Eastern Himalayan cryosphere and enhanced opportunities for regional collaboration in the study of permafrost-glacier-glacial lake interactions, GLOF hazards and the broader impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region.