Following the international workshop on glacier-related hazards and community safety held on 2 October 2025 in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu, Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) signed an MoU to federate forces in addressing cryosphere-related hazards.
The signing took place in the presence of Pema Gyamtsho (Director General, ICIMOD), Qianggong Zhang (Head of Climate and Environmental Risks, ICIMOD), Danièle Rod (Executive Director, SPI), Frederik Paulsen (Foundation Board Member, SPI), Karma Dupchu (Director, National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology, NCHM) and officials from NCHM, the delegation from the Embassy of Switzerland in India and Bhutan, and the participants of the international workshop.
Photo credits: © 2025 NCHM, all rights reserved
The MoU aims to promote joint research, scientific knowledge exchange, innovation, data sharing and capacity building on cryosphere change, extreme weather events and associated risks, such as initiatives that focus on monitoring cryosphere-related hazards and their management. Through this joint approach, SPI and ICIMOD seek to support their scientific communities, engage in international cryosphere science agendas such as the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences, and translate scientific findings to assist policy-relevant outputs at national and regional levels.