12th Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics Forum: Shaping the Future of the Third Pole and Eastern Himalayas

Balipara Foundation presented the 12th edition of the annual Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics Forum in Guwahati, with conversations on The Future of the Third Pole & the Eastern Himalaya exploring the need for urgent action on climate and action in the Third Pole for the future of lives and livelihoods across the Eastern Himalaya. Bringing together 60 leaders from 15 countries, discussions explored the vital global role the Third Pole plays in regulating climate systems and watersheds for billions across South and Southeast Asia, through its glaciers.

With representatives from leading global and national corporates, experts from academia, the conservation and development sectors and policymakers, the Forum hosted two days of conversation on critical issues in sustainability and environment for the Eastern Himalaya. Insights from leading voices such as Kaizad Bharucha, Deputy Managing Director- HDFC, Chanakya Chaudhury, VP- Corporate Services at Tata Steel, HRH Queen Diambi Kabatusuila of the Bakwa Luntu tribe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Praveer Sinha, MD & CEO – Tata Power, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General – The Energy & Resources Institute, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Senior Visiting Fellow – Harvard Law School and Spencer Low, Regional Sustainability Head – Google Asia Pacific steered a pathway towards building a regenerative economy that protects the fragile ecosystems of the Third Pole.

Speaking on the need to decolonize our thinking about solutions to the biodiversity and climate crisis, and to look home in the global south for answers, Queen Diambi Kabatusuila said, “We have to come together to start redefining the terms of our engagement. We have to redefine what we want in terms of corrective measures.”

“We need to make use of traditional knowledge from local communities who know their challenges and realities much better than a policy maker living in a city. Organizations need to be cognizant of corporates and communities working hand in glove rather than in conflict with each other's best interest,” said Chanakya Chaudhury, VP of Corporate Services at Tata Steel and Director of the Tata Steel Foundation.

A key focus of the forum was the need to drive the valuation of ecosystems in the Eastern Himalayan region, for both harnessing business investments in the environment and for putting externalized environmental costs on accounts to drive better decision-making for ecosystems both by businesses and policymakers. In a panel on leveraging natural capital accounting and valuation methodologies to strengthen business’ ESG commitments, Abhejit Agarwal, Head- Sustainability & CSR at Axis Bank Limited said, “Collaboration is such an important aspect in everything that we are doing - stakeholders don't seem to realize that everything is interconnected especially biodiversity and its role on corporates.”

In-depth panels explored the pathway to catalyzing the renewables transition, managing watersheds and water security, building sustainable livelihoods, managing agricultural lands sustainably in the Eastern Himalaya, eliminating plastic waste in rural areas and protecting Asian Elephants at a landscape level.

Speaking on the issue of Asian Elephant conservation in the North East, Pasupuleti Monica Kishore, DFO at the Guwahati Wildlife Division said, “The issue is not the elephants, it is the people. It is us who have failed to protect them. The narrative needs a change - it is not about creating habitat for elephants, but about protecting the ecosystem.”

“We should stop depending on government-to-government collaboration, rather focus on the other dimensions, i.e. exchanges and collaborations to and from science to science, business to business and community to community,” said Dr. Eklabya Sharma, Strategic Advisor and Senior Fellow at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & Environment (ATREE) in a panel discussing issues on watershed management.

The 12th edition of the Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum concluded with the Balipara Foundation Awards on 27th November, celebrating the success stories of 14 community leaders, scientists and conservationists in protecting and restoring the biocultural heritage of the Eastern Himalaya, from Loktak Lake, Manipur and Deepor Beel, Assam, to national parks in Bhutan and the Sundarbans. The critical work of these earth heroes was celebrated by actress & media leader Kim Sharma. The Awards programme also celebrated 50 years of The Energy and Resources Institute’s critical and forward-looking work on science, research and sustainable development in both India and around the world.

“Out of 365 days last year, India had 300 days of extreme weather conditions – whether heat in the north, or whether extreme rains in the South. It is becoming extremely difficult for humans to live – and also other life on this planet, including organisms whose role in our survival we don’t fully understand as yet. We need to use science to ensure we protect our biodiversity and that is why we’re all gathered here together,” said Praveer Sinha, MD & CEO of Tata Power, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of these grassroots conservationists.

The 13th edition of the Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum will return next year on 4th - 5th November 2025 in Guwahati, Assam.