Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery
PROJECT FACTS – HIMALAYAS
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Reduction
in the Himalayas
Total Budget:
USD 430,000.00
Period:
March 2008 – February 2009
Partners:
UNDP in Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, UNDP Energy and Environment Group
(EEG), Disaster Management Division Bhutan, National and State Disaster
Management Authorities in India and Central Disaster Relief Committee Nepal.
Background
The greater Himalayan region contains the largest areas
covered by glaciers and permafrost outside the polar regions.
The region plays an important role in global atmospheric
circulation, biodiversity, water resources and the hydrological
cycle. It is the source of nine of the largest rivers in Asia, and
their river basins are home to over 1.3 billion people. However,
the people living in the Himalayan region are annually affected
by a number of natural hazards, including climate-induced
disasters, such as floods, avalanches and landslides, which
result in extensive damage and loss of life and livelihoods.
Climate change is likely to exacerbate further some of these
natural hazards.
Known as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), this type of
flood can cause major social and economic damage for large
populations living in the Himalayan belt, covering parts of India,
Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan. The frequency of such GLOF
events in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region has been on the
increase since the second half of the twentieth century, due to
the combined effects of climate change and deforestation.
Several meetings with stakeholders in the region have identified
the need for a regional approach to GLOF risk reduction.
Key Objective

Expected Results
 National and regional needs,
limitations and capacities to
reduce the risk of GLOFs in
the Himalayan belt identified
and addressed.
 National staff in relevant
ministries has knowledge and
capacity to use gendersensitive community-based
approaches on GLOF risk
reduction.
 A regional network of
stakeholders for GLOF risk
reduction in the Himalayan
region established and using
shared knowledge to manage
GLOF risk effectively.
Project Summary
The project, funded by the European Commission Humanitarian
Aid
department’s
Disaster
Preparedness
Programme
(DIPECHO) and the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and
Recovery (BCPR), aimed to address risks posed by GLOFs in
the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region comprising Bhutan,
India, Nepal and Pakistan through strengthening non-structural
and community-based approaches.
To strengthen GLOF risk
reduction efforts through
promoting non-structural and
gender-sensitive communitybased interventions, as well
as enhancing understanding
of socio-economic risks
associated with GLOFs.
 A regional knowledge product
on GLOF risk reduction
through community-based
approaches produced and
disseminated.
In addition, the project provided an opportunity for networking
among practitioners from a range of disciplines, including
climate change, disaster risk management (DRM), environment and development planning to
ensure more effective and enhanced knowledge sharing. The project directly benefited
communities and counterpart institutions working at local, national and regional levels on DRM,
land-use and development planning, environment, water and energy management.
Activities

Liaise and advocate with stakeholders on the GLOF initiative;
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Study GLOF events in the Himalayan region;
Stocktaking of GLOF preparedness and risk reduction measures in the region;
Prepare and circulate a Preparatory Assessment Report analysing GLOF mitigation and
preparedness measures in the region;
Initiate an e-discussion on software-related issues;
Conduct a regional workshop on GLOF Risk Reduction in Asia;
Publicize community-based GLOF Risk Reduction approaches;
Initiate a network of stakeholders; and
Provide technical assistance to develop national GLOF risk reduction initiatives.
Achievements
Information management and knowledge sharing
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Webpage relating to GLOFs revamped and country-specific information for each of the
project countries uploaded.
E-discussion on GLOF risk mitigation launched on DRM-Asia Community of Practice. It is
posted on Solution Exchange in India and Bhutan, Disaster Prevention (DP) Net in Nepal
and Pamir Times in Pakistan. After one month, more than three thousand participants
accessed it.
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) festival organized 16 February, 2009 in
Kathmandu, Nepal, to showcase the DRR activities and projects being undertaken by
DIPECHO partners in the region.
Regional DIPECHO South Asia Seminar held in Kathmandu 17-18 February, 2009. This
seminar on Lessons Learnt and Best Practices in DRR showcased the work undertaken by
DIPECHO partner organizations from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and
Pakistan under the last action plan.
Awareness raising
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Advocacy film on GLOFs produced to generate awareness about GLOFs and to sensitize
communities and key administrative functionaries about the need to factor these risks into
the development planning process.
Visibility and educational materials on the GLOF initiative (posters, brochures, caps, Tshirts, mugs, pens, etc.) sent across the region to the project areas in Pakistan, India,
Nepal and Bhutan to be distributed in communities. A poster in English, ‘GLOFs: Risk
Mitigation and Preparedness Measures’ prepared and distributed in the region.
GLOF risk mitigation and preparedness activities
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Preparatory Assessment Reports developed for all countries.
Activities promoting community-based GLOF risk mitigation and preparedness identified
and pilot activities commenced in the identified valley and community for each country.
Two-day Regional workshop on GLOF risk mitigation held 20-21 January, 2009 at Paro in
Bhutan and attended by 70 senior government functionaries and UN officials, journalists,
NGO staff and research scientists from the four project countries, as well as from UK,
Switzerland and Thailand. Key lessons learnt collated and documented to serve as a
resource base on GLOF risk reduction and community-based approaches.
Contact Information:
UNDP/BCPR South and South West Asia
55 Lodhi Estate PO Box 3059,
New Delhi 110003 India
Email: [email protected]
For further information:
Regional Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Reduction Project in the Himalayas
Website: http://www.managingclimaterisk.org/
last updated: April 2010