Outlook on climate change adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Shop owner in Rangamati, Bangladesh

not without opportunity, since male outmigration can, for example, increase their decision-making power, though they may also face some challenges, such as a higher workload and drudgery (Banerjee et al., 2011; Pradhan et al., 2012). Currently, there are approximately 240million people living in the HKH region and 3.14 billion people living in the eight HKH countries overall (ICIMOD, 2018). The average population growth rate for these countries is about 1.33 per cent per year (World

Bank, 2018). Urbanization is also increasing at a steady pace in the region, with the urban population expected to increase from an estimated 1.35 billion in 2015 to 2.2 billion by 2050 (UNDESA, 2014). Given the timescale of climate change, planning for adaptation must consider population growth and urbanization trends and projection, among other demographic factors. Consideration must also be given to ecosystem services threatened by climate change in the region, as demographic changes are likely to increase their demand among populations.

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