Confirmed Symposia

Advancing Affordable Air Quality Monitoring Solutions for Community-Level Monitoring

Air pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental health threats worldwide, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and millions of premature deaths each year. Both urban and rural communities, across developed and developing countries, are increasingly affected by deteriorating air quality, yet many lack access to reliable, localized data to guide timely interventions.

This symposium focuses on advancing affordable air quality monitoring solutions that empower communities to better understand and respond to pollution risks. With rapid innovations in low-cost, portable technologies—including optical, chemical, and hybrid systems—there is growing potential to monitor pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), black carbon, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide in real-time and across diverse settings.
Bringing together researchers, engineers, public health professionals, and policymakers, the symposium will explore cutting-edge developments in air quality monitoring, data analytics, and integration into health and environmental decision-making. Sessions will highlight practical applications in both high-income and resource-constrained settings, emphasizing equity, accessibility, and the role of community-driven monitoring in advancing environmental justice and public health. 


Keywords: Air pollution, public health, portable sensor, environmental monitoring, exposure assessment, environmental health, data integration, urban air quality

Agrobiodiversity for resilient agriculture: Soil health and climate adaptation

Soil health and agrobiodiversity are the cornerstones of sustainable food systems and ecological stability. However, they face escalating threats from climate change, land degradation, unsustainable farming practices, and biodiversity loss. This symposium aims to explore how shifting climatic conditions affect soil dynamics and agrobiodiversity at multiple levels, from microbial communities and soil functions to crop genetic resources and on-farm diversity.

We invite researchers from diverse disciplines to submit abstracts on empirical studies, field experiments, greenhouse trials, genetic and genomic approaches, computational modeling, and meta-analyses that contribute to advancing climate-resilient agriculture. We especially encourage studies that integrate genetic diversity, soil-plant interactions, and adaptive management strategies. Interdisciplinary and systems-level approaches are highly welcomed.

This session will foster scientific exchange on innovative strategies for maintaining soil integrity and safeguarding agrobiodiversity in the face of climate uncertainty, contributing to global sustainability goals.

Key Words: Ecological stability, sustainable agriculture, food security, soil dynamics, genetic resources

Co-convener:
Dr. Roshan Babu Ojha; Soil Scientist, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Nepal

From Genome to Landscapes: Understanding and Managing Biological Invasions in the Era of Anthropocene

Human activities have accelerated the movement of species beyond their native ranges. Some of these species establish, spread, and become invasive alien species (IAS) in non-native environments, causing serious consequences for biodiversity, ecosystems, and human well-being. IAS are among the leading drivers of global biodiversity loss and are a key component of broader environmental change, alongside land use change, pollution, climate change, and direct exploitation of organisms. Together with other human-driven impacts (e.g., ozone depletion, altered biogeochemical cycles), these changes define the Anthropocene—the era of human dominance on Earth.
Recognizing their wide-ranging impacts, multilateral agreements and global goals have prioritized IAS management. Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Sustainable Development Goal 15.8 call for urgent prevention and control efforts. The 2023 IPBES global assessment on IAS emphasizes the need for coordinated actions and mainstreaming IAS into policies on conservation, restoration, infrastructure, agriculture, and climate change.
Mountain ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to biological invasions, but difficult terrain, limited resources, and data gaps often constrain their management. Many developing countries lack baseline information, early warning systems, and context-specific knowledge of invasion pathways and impacts.

This symposium will bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share research, case studies, and lessons learned, particularly from developing and mountainous regions. It will highlight innovative approaches, local adaptations, and policy-relevant science aimed at addressing the growing challenge of IAS. The goal is to foster regional and global collaboration and promote effective, inclusive, and science-based solutions for IAS prevention and management.

Key words: Invasive alien species (IAS), Genetic tools for IAS management, IPBES, Mountain biodiversity, Biodiversity conservation, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Ecosystem restorationGutentor Simple Text

Co-conveners:
Prof. Bharat Babu Shrestha, Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal [Corresponding Co-Convener]; Email: shresthabb@gmail.com
Dr. Lal Bahadur Thapa, Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

Microplastics and Their Impact on Ecosystem and Health

Microplastics—plastic particles smaller than 5 mm—have become a pervasive pollutant across the globe, raising significant concerns about their long-term effects on both ecosystems and human health. Despite their small size, microplastics can have far-reaching impacts, infiltrating soil, freshwater, marine environments, the atmosphere, and food chains.
This symposium aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore the sources, distribution, and consequences of microplastic pollution. With growing evidence of their presence in organisms ranging from plankton to humans, there is an urgent need to understand their ecological consequences, toxicological effects, and socioeconomic implications.
Topics to be covered in the symposium include: (i) Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in terrestrial and aquatic environments; (ii) Detection, identification, and characterization techniques for microplastics; (iii) Transport, accumulation, and degradation of microplastics in natural systems; (iv) Effects of microplastics on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and food webs; (v) Human exposure pathways and potential health impacts; (vi) Mitigation strategies, public awareness, and behavioral interventions; (vii) Policy frameworks and regulatory measures addressing microplastic pollution
By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, the symposium will highlight recent research findings and innovative approaches to tackle this growing environmental and health threat. The goal is to contribute to evidence-based solutions and promote collaborative actions at local, regional, and global levels.

Key words: Microplastics, environmental impact, human health, ecosystem disruption, policy and regulation

Co-conveners:
Dr. Basant Giri, Center for Analytical Sciences, Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences (KIAS), Nepal
Dr. Bhanu Bhakta Neupane, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Mountains on the Edge: Climate Extremes and the Future of High-Altitude Communities

Mountain regions, often perceived as remote and resilient, are increasingly vulnerable to the intensifying impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events—ranging from rain-on-snow events and flash floods to prolonged droughts and heatwaves—are becoming more frequent and destructive. These phenomena threaten fragile high-altitude ecosystems, disrupt local biodiversity, and endanger the livelihoods of both mountain and downstream communities through cascading hazards like landslides, erosion, and water scarcity.
Despite their critical role in regulating regional hydrology, sustaining biodiversity, and supporting human communities, mountain ecosystems remain underrepresented in global climate impact research. There is a pressing need to understand how weather extremes manifest in these dynamic landscapes and to determine their long-term consequences.
This symposium aims to bring together climate scientists, ecologists, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the drivers, impacts, and interlinkages of extreme weather events in mountain regions. The event will serve as a collaborative platform for exchanging knowledge, advancing research, and co-developing strategies for risk reduction and resilience-building in the world’s most vulnerable high-altitude environments.

Key words: Mountain climate extremes, weather hazards, resilience, environmental risk, flood risk, adaptation strategies, high-altitude vulnerability

Co-convener:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Binod Pokharel, Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Water Security, Livelihoods and Climate Resilience in Himalayan River Systems

The Himalayan region, often referred to as the “Third Pole,” is a vital hydrological source for the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems, which collectively sustain the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people across South Asia. These transboundary rivers are central to agricultural productivity, ecological balance, and socio-economic development in China, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Bhutan. This symposium explores the spatiotemporal dynamics of hydroclimatic variability and water quality in these basins, emphasizing the impacts of glacial retreat, monsoonal shifts, land-use changes, and anthropogenic pressures. These drivers alter river discharge patterns, hydrogeochemistry, and pollutant loads, posing challenges to water security and ecosystem health.

Key themes include:
 Water Quality, Aquatic Health and Springshed Management
 Solute Fluxes and Geochemical Controlling Processes
 Modeling River Dynamics and Tracing Geochemical Pathways
 Climate Change, Water Security and Mountain Livelihoods
 Transboundary Governance and Adaptive Water Management

The session will also address transboundary water governance, highlighting the need for adaptive management strategies and resilience-building in the face of cascading climate risks. Collaborative research and policy coordination among riparian nations are essential to mitigate vulnerabilities and secure shared water futures. By bringing together hydrologists, geochemists, ecologists, and policy experts, the symposium aims to foster an integrated understanding of Himalayan river systems and promote science-based interventions for climate-resilient water resource management.

Key words: Water resource management, hydroclimatic variability, transboundary governance, himalayan river systems, glacial retreat

Corresponding co-convener:
Assis. Prof. Ramesh Raj Pant, PhD, Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Himalayan Rangelands in the Changing World: State, Drivers, and Consequences

Rangelands that incorporates meadows, pastures, and shrublands are the dominant landscapes of the Himalayas. These ecosystems provide critical ecosystem services including habitats for diverse plants, animals, fungi and microbes; grazing grounds for livestock; carbon sequestration; water regulation; tourism; and provision of materials such as medicinal plants, fodder, and fuel for local communities. Despite their critical role in supporting biodiversity and local livelihoods, these rangelands are undergoing rapid transformation due to climate
change, land use change, invasive species, over or under grazing, abandonment of pastoral practices, and human-wildlife conflicts. Additional challenges such as limited market access, inadequate technical capacity, and institutional barriers, complicate efforts to maintain the
productivity and sustainable management of these rangelands. Collectively, these transformations have profound implications for regional biodiversity and pastoral livelihoods of the mountain communities.
This symposium brings researchers, policymakers, and conservation practitioners together to explore the changing dynamics of the Himalayan rangelands to assess the status and dynamics of Himalayan rangelands, identify the drivers of change, and highlight innovative solutions for their sustainable management. The symposium will have a keynote presentation, a moderated panel discussion followed by Q&A session. It will conclude by summarizing key insights, recommendations and possible
future actions.

Key words: Pastoral livelihoods, climate change, sustainable management, mountain communities, regional biodiversity

Corresponding co-convener:
Dr. Uttam Babu Shrestha, Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Lalitpur, Nepal

Changes in Cryosphere and High Mountain Hazards

The mountain cryosphere includes glaciers, snow cover and permafrost. It is undergoing rapid changes due to global climate change, which significantly affects mountain environments, ecosystems, and human communities. This session focuses on the changes happening in the Earth’s cryosphere, mainly in high mountain areas, and the risks linked to these changes. We are expecting to discuss the latest scientific findings on glacier retreat, permafrost degradation, snowpack variability, and changes in frozen ground. We will pay special attention to the effects of cryospheric changes, such as glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, avalanches, and flash floods in the high mountain regions. These events increasingly threaten communities and infrastructure in mountain regions worldwide.
This symposium also aims to highlight new monitoring techniques, such as remote sensing and modeling methods, along with advances in hazard assessment and risk reduction strategies. We will discuss socio-economic effects, vulnerability assessments, and adaptation measures taken by local communities such as, early warning systems and authorities in the mountains. By bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, this session promotes discussion across different fields to improve understanding and resilience in response to fast-paced changes in the cryosphere and hazards in high mountain regions.

Key words: Pastoral livelihoods, climate change, sustainable management, mountain communities, regional biodiversity

Corresponding co-convener:
Dr. Mohan Bahadur Chand, Himalayan Cryosphere, Climate and Disaster Research Center (HiCCDRC), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Nepal
Dr. Dibas Shrestha, Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Forest Biomaterials for sustainable development

The symposium Forest Biomaterials in Sustainable Development will explore how forest-based resources can provide sustainable solutions to the pressing challenges faced by mountain systems, where ecological fragility and resource limitations demand innovative approaches. Forest biomaterials, encompassing timber, bamboo, biomass, and non-timber forest products, represent renewable options for energy, construction, agriculture, healthcare, and livelihoods, making them highly relevant to MoChWo’s overarching theme of resilience and sustainable mountain development. Despite abundant resources, Nepal continues to import large volumes of timber and export medicinal plants in unprocessed form, highlighting the urgent need for research and innovation that can enhance value addition and reduce dependency on external markets.
This symposium will emphasize advances in developing technologies for the sustainable processing and utilization of forest bio-materials, the transformation of biomass into renewable energy and green chemicals, and the application of material science to create innovative solutions for environmental and societal needs. It will also highlight research on turning forest resources into high-value products that contribute to cleaner environments, improved resilience to climate change, and enhanced community well-being.
By integrating themes of biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, climate change mitigation, pollution control, and resilient infrastructure, the symposium positions forest biomaterials as a cornerstone of low-carbon and sustainable mountain development. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of blending indigenous knowledge with global advances to ensure technologies, are both contextually relevant and scientifically robust. In doing so, the symposium not only reflects MoChWo’s sub-themes of biodiversity, climate, and sustainable livelihoods but also situates Nepal’s forest resources within the wider global dialogue on renewable and circular economies. Gathering experts, researchers, and practitioners, this platform will outline pathways for forest biomaterials to drive resilience, sustainability, and prosperity in mountain communities.

Key words: Forest biomaterials, sustainable development, renewable energy, climate resilience, value addition

Lead and Partner Organization:
Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology, Thaha-09, Chitlang, Makwanpur