National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)

The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) aims to develop sustainable national capacity to continuously assess the health status of the Himalayan ecosystem, enable policy bodies in their policy-formulation functions, and assist States in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) in implementing actions for sustainable development. The Mission seeks to scientifically understand the complex processes affecting the Himalayan ecosystem and evolve suitable management and policy measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem, including Himalayan glaciers.

• Launched in 2014
• Nodal/Implementing: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology. DST is entrusted with coordination and implementation of the Mission.
• Indian Himalayan Region: Covers 11 States and 2 Union Territories, with State Climate Change Cells supporting vulnerability assessments, capacity building, public awareness and institutional capacity for climate-change research.
• Research and institutional framework: Thematic Task Forces, Centres of Excellence, Major R&D Programmes, State-level Research Network Programmes, Human Capacity Building Programmes and National Network Programmes.
• Priority research areas: Glaciology, climate modelling, urban climate, aerosol studies, extreme weather events and Himalayan ecosystem studies.
• Monitoring: Progress is reviewed periodically—at least twice each calendar year—by the National Expert Committee, with support from the dedicated Mission Cell in DST.
• Climate action: NMSHE aligns its objectives and priorities with India's NDC commitments, including adaptation in climate-vulnerable sectors and capacity building for climate-change adaptation in the Himalayan region.