Increased trans-boundary cooperation is needed to transform mountain forestry in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said here on Sunday.
Mr. Javadekar was, in a video recording, addressing the inaugural session of a five-day symposium on “Transforming mountain forestry,” jointly organised by the Forest Research Institute and the Kathmandu Valley-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), that aims at creating conducive transboundary conditions to protect the forest ecosystems in the region. “The symposium gives an opportunity to share the best practices. It is important for the stakeholders in the entire Hindu Kush region to promote sustainable and inclusive forest management that brings together practice, policy, and science. There are also transboundary issues [that need to be addressed],” the Minister said. David Molden, Director-General of ICIMOD, called for collective efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Over 200 regional and global experts from countries such as the U.S., Germany, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Italy, including cross-sector policy-makers, scientists, practitioners, donors, market actors, legal experts, forestry professionals and representatives from the business and civil society, are attending the symposium.
