The Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS (CAREERI) signed a three-year cooperation memorandum to conduct cooperative research on development of snow and glaciers database and research in Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region in next three years with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Lanzhou on 7 June, 2010.

According to the memorandum, the two parties will establish a long-term mutual collaboration on research and development of regional database on Cryosphere (snow cover, permafrost and glaciers) and to forge a closer partnership in promoting regional database on Cryosphere, hydrology and water resources of the HKH region and Tibetan Plateau.

The main areas of collaborative activities under this memorandum including: 1) to conduct collaborative activities on mapping of cryosphere, hydrology and water resources and filling the data gap in order to build regional database of the HKH region including Tibetan Plateau area; 2) to promote a common approach and methodology for mapping and monitoring of cryosphere, hydrology and water resources conforming to the international standardization; 3) to undertake joint field investigations on mutually agreed terms and conditions; 4) to share data on cryosphere, hydrology and water resources; 5) to produce and publish regional status reports on snow, glaciers and glacial lakes of the HKH region; 6) to strength regular communication, person exchange and student training.