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ISLAMABAD, Nov 10 (APP):The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region has significant untapped potential for renewable energy, yet clean energy accounts for only 6.1% of its total supply, a new report has revealed.
The study — “Together We Have More Power: Status, Challenges, and the Potential for Regional Renewable Energy Cooperation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya” — was released by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and launched at an event hosted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad.
According to the report, fossil fuels continue to dominate the region’s energy mix, with Bangladesh generating 98% of its electricity from fossil fuels, followed by India (77%), Pakistan (76%), China (67%) and Myanmar (51%).
The authors said the HKH countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan — could become global leaders in clean energy if they strengthen cooperation on technology, infrastructure and cross-border energy trade. Greater collaboration, they said, could help lower costs, create jobs and boost regional stability.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said the findings had major implications for Pakistan. “For Pakistan, this report is not just about energy — it’s about national security and economic stability,” he said. “With 76% of our electricity coming from fossil fuels, we are dangerously exposed to global price shocks. Harnessing our share of the region’s solar and wind potential through regional grids could reduce import bills and protect our people from the impacts of climate change.”
ICIMOD Deputy Director-General Izabella Koziell said the HKH — often called the “Third Pole” for its vast glaciers — plays a critical role in regulating the global climate but is also among the most climate-vulnerable regions. “Environmental degradation and pollution here demand urgent global attention,” she said, calling for deeper regional collaboration in research and innovation.
Dr Abid Hussain from ICIMOD noted that the HKH sustains nearly 3.4 billion people, with rivers that are vital to the region’s energy and livelihoods. “The region’s renewable energy potential is estimated at 3.5 terawatts, yet only 6% has been harnessed,” he said, pointing to social, technical and political challenges that have slowed progress.
Shubhuti Kiran Ghimire of ICIMOD Nepal added that the organisation is working on climate-resilient basin management projects across Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan to improve sustainable water and energy practices.
The report urges the eight HKH nations to adopt a collective strategy to expand renewable energy, meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and secure a sustainable energy future for one of the world’s most climate-sensitive regions.