The International Summer School Program on “Climate Change and Renewable Energy in South Asia” was organized by the Consortium of South Asian Think Tanks (COSATT) in collaboration with the Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change Asia Pacific (RECAP) of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in Nepal from 4-9 December, 2023. The program aimed to convene students, researchers, and speakers from diverse South Asian countries to delve into the intricate relationship between climate change and the promotion of renewable energy sources. It provided a platform to discuss, analyze, and comprehend the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change in the region. Hosted in Nepal, a country grappling with both climate change impacts and embracing renewable energy solutions, the program facilitated discussions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among participants.
Climate change is a pressing global issue that affects every region of the world, but its impacts are particularly severe in South Asia. These impacts are already affecting millions of people and ecosystems in various ways, and they are projected to worsen in the coming decades if mitigation and adaptation measures are not implemented in the region. The region faces distinctive challenges concerning climate change, ranging from rising temperatures to erratic weather patterns, glacial melt, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events and moreover, compounded by an increasing need for sustainable energy sources. These issues significantly impact agriculture, water resources, biodiversity, and livelihoods across the region.
The program created a platform for interdisciplinary discussions and knowledge sharing to address these pressing concerns by focusing on the intersection between climate change mitigation, adaptation strategies, and the promotion of renewable energy technologies across South Asia. The summer school allowed young participants comprising of researchers, students and climate activists from South Asian countries to extensively learn about climate change and its impacts and observe the best practices around South Asia, particularly in Nepal, adopted by the local communities.
