This pilot project aims to strengthen institutional and technical capacities to effectively react and adapt to adverse effects of climate change in three villages in different Jamoats (sub district administrative units) in Varzob District in western Tajikistan. The project created an Adaptation Advisory Group in conjunction with Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, and other research institutions in order to develop technologies or adaptation plans.

The project consists of working with participating countries to develop an inventory of glaciers and glacier lakes as well as a GLOF monitoring system.  The data gathered is used as the basis for early warning systems. The database is also used to determine the amount of total available water resources the region will have in the future.

One of the most dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal is the Tsho Rolpa Lake. At an altitude of about 5000m, the size of this lake increased from 0.23 sq.km. in 1957 to 1.65 sq.km. by 1997.  Tsho Rolpa was estimated to store approximately 90-100 million cu.m.

Climate change is the main factor responsible for the accelerated glacier retreat in the Himalayas. As this continues, major changes in freshwater flows will have dramatic effects on biodiversity, people, and their livelihoods. Glacial melting leads to an increase in water discharge, which is expected to increase the frequency of catastrophic flooding events such as GLOF. These events can have devastating consequences to infrastructure like bridges, dams and power generation stations, and communities living at downstream.