The 9th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit 2020 (SMDS IX) organized by Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and hosted by Sustainable Development Forum Uttaranchal (SDFU), Dehradun took place virtually in Dehradun from December 11-14, 2020. The Summit was held on occasion of the United Nations (UN) International Mountain Day 2020.
i.Theme for 2020 SMDS IX – ‘Emerging Pathways for Building a Resilient Post COVID-19 Mountain Economy, Adaptation, Innovation & Acceleration’.
ii.Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand was the Chief Guest of the event, and Conrad K. Sanga, Chief Minister of Meghalaya was the Guest of Honour of the event.
iii.SMDS is an Annual summit organised by IMI to discuss issues regarding Mountains and Hills.
Objective of 2020 Summit:
One of the main objectives of the 2020 Summit was to build pathways for a strong and sustainable mountain economy in Post COVID-19 scenario and climate change.
Key Points:
i.During the summit, issues such as Migration, water security, climate resilience and innovation solutions for the farm sector and Disaster risk reduction in Indian Himalayas were discussed.
ii.Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat underlined the need for ‘Himalayan Vision’ for sustainable development in the Indian Himalayan Region.
iii.Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated that Governments and communities should work together to conserve rich natural resources of the Himalayan Region.
iv.During the summit, knowledge sharing through Indian Himalayan Youth Network/Alliance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indian Himalayan University was proposed to provide compensation for ecosystem services.
v.SMDS-X will be organized by Darjeeling Hill Initiative (DHI) in the Darjeeling-Kalimpong Hills of West Bengal in 2021.
Ajay Rawat won R.S.Tolia Memorial Award 2020:
i.Ajay Rawat, Scholar and Environmental Activist was conferred Dr R.S. Tolia Memorial Award 2020 by IMI for his efforts in forest conservation in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
ii.R. S. Tolia Memorial Award is given to recognise the efforts of individuals and organisations who have made impact in the integrating and addressing the issues of mountain communities.
iii.The award carries a citation, a shawl, and a cash award of Rs. 1 lakh.
iv.R.S.Tolia Memorial Award has been instituted in the name of Dr. Raghunandan Singh Tolia also known as ‘The Mountain Man’ is the founder of IMI.
Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI):
IMI was formed in 2011 to mainstream the concerns of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) and the people in the development dialogue of India.
Indian Himalayan Region:
i.The Indian Himalayan Region spans 11 Indian States (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal) and 2 Union Territories (Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh)-
ii.It is the main source of many major rivers of India such as Ganga, Indus & Brahmaputra
Recent Related News:
i.Himalaya Diwas or Himalaya Day is annually celebrated across India particularly in Uttarakhand on 9th September to create and spread awareness on the conservation of the Himalayan Ecosystem.
ii.On April 30, 2020 Scientists and students from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology(WIHG), in the study published in the Global and Planetary Changes The journal revealed a 35 thousand-year history of river erosion and identified hotspots of erosion and wide valleys that act as buffer zones in Ladakh Himalayas.
About Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI):
President – Prem Das Rai
Headquarters – New Delhi
