SANDEE Secretariat

SANDEE is delighted to announce the publication of a thematic essay written by SANDEE Founder, Sir Partha Dasgupta, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus, Cambridge University, UK, entitled “On Natural Capital” in Volume 9, Issue 1, of Ecology, Economy, and Society – The INSEE Journal.

This publication is based on the keynote lecture entitled “Natural Capital and the Meaning of Sustainable Development”, delivered by Sir Partha during the International conference on development and environmental economics: SANDEE@25.

Keynote highlights: SANDEE@25 Biswo Nath Poudel, Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank, provided a clear view of Nepal’s agricultural credit system, what’s working and what’s not, and why effective credit must be paired with stronger financial tools to help improve farmers’ wellbeing.

Keynote Highlights: SANDEE@25 Ruth Meinzen-Dick discussed the contributions of development and environmental economics, and transdisciplinary work on the commons, including innovative work on the use of games as interventions to strengthen equitable commons management.

Keynote highlights: SANDEE@25 In his speech, Sir Partha Dasgupta explored how sustainable development can be measured through intergenerational well-being and inclusive value of wealth – a framework that places natural capital at the centre of development.

Session highlights: SANDEE@25 Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD, reaffirmed continued support to SANDEE, highlighting its foresight for the next 25 years and lauding the Network for nurturing trust and a generation of scholars shaping policy and development.

Session highlights: SANDEE@25 In his opening message, Dr. Mani Nepal reflected on SANDEE’s past, present, and future, marking 25 years as a leading network advancing knowledge, evidence, and the next generation of development economists and practitioners in South Asia and the HKH

SANDEE kicks off its 25th anniversary celebration: Hailing quarter a century of development and environmental economics research and capacity development in South Asia. Some highlights from 12 December, 2025, the first day of the event;

The SANDEE@25 conference is bringing together researchers and practitioners from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region and beyond, to share insights on how environmental economics can help governments, policymakers, and communities address South Asia’s most urgent challenges – from biodiversity loss, to climate impacts, ecosystem change, pollution, forest restoration, livelihoods, and the deep relationship between mountains and people. The conference will explore these challenges, centred on the theme ‘development, environment, and mountains,’ marking SANDEE’s 25-year journey, and highlighting its contribution to research, development and capacity building in environmental economics. SANDEE@25 is a space to share evidence, strengthen collaboration, and innovative ideas that can create real impact for communities across the HKH. Hosted by ICIMOD, the conference will take place from 12–14 December 2025 in Kathmandu, Nepal. In-person participation is by invitation only, with the keynote speeches also available online for our worldwide audiences. Join the four hybrid keynote speeches online, live on ICIMOD’s Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube channels. Look out for our posts on the keynote speeches. #SANDEE@25 #EnvironmentalEconomics @FromSANDEE

SANDEE Research Grant 2026: Call for concept notes Open call for research concept notes on environmental and resource economics in South Asia and the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. The South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), a research capacity and academic leadership development network of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), invites research concept notes responding to policy gaps in the areas of environmental and resource economics related to the development of South Asia and the HKH region. Concept notes should: - be aligned with the following strategic areas of ICIMOD’s work: (1) Climate and environmental risks (2) Resilient economies and landscapes (3) Regional action and global advocacy - be policy and practice relevant and demand driven Who can apply? - Junior to mid-career professionals employed by a university, a research institute, or a similar institution in South Asia and the HKH region, including government agencies and non-profit research organisations. - Women professionals (e.g. academics, researchers, and practitioners) from and working in South Asia and the HKH region are encouraged to apply. Learn more and submit your concept note here: icimod.org/sandee/sandee-… Deadline for submission of concept notes is 31 December 2025. #SANDEE #2026researchgrants

SANDEE hosted one-day of the 20th SAESM, on 18 November, 2025 at ICIMOD. More than 170 undergraduate economics students and their mentors from BDG, IN, NP, PL, and SL met to enhance their understanding of environment, development, and cooperation in the region. #SANDEE #ICIMOD

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is the UNFCC’s negotiation-based framework and collection of projects for low- and middle-income countries. With the ‘+’ sign added to the acronym, the REDD mechanism brings forest carbon stocks into the spotlight by issuing carbon credits to countries, organisations, or individuals for offsetting their carbon footprints. REDD+ carbon credits are conditional – not merely on performance for emissions reduction, but also on demonstrating that performance would not have been same without the financing. To know more read the full blog: blog.icimod.org/regional-actio… Watch the full SANDEE- ICIMOD Karl-Göran Mäler Memorial Lecture by Prof. Erin Sills of North Carolina State University: youtu.be/5SBYBs6jrNE

@subhrendukp @Mani_Nepal

Since the 1990s, nearly 1.5 million springs in the Indian Himalaya have been disappearing. Reviving springs is urgent. But are the costs of revival worth the benefits from it? A cost-benefit analysis of springs revival by a group of economists from the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) reveals the multifaceted benefits of investing in spring revival. Household monthly gains worth USD 12 on account of access to safe water can go a long way in ensuring water, food, health and livelihood security of the mountain communities and in preserving the delicate ecosystems of the region. To know more, read the full report here: doi.org/10.53055/ICIMO… This report is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) under the Strengthening Climate Change Adaptation in Himalayas (SCA-Himalayas) project. #WorldWaterWeek #SpringRestoration #SANDEE #HKH #SCAHimalayas #WaterSecurity #ClimateResilience @SwissEmbassyIND @Mani_Nepal @SanjeevBhuchar @FromSANDEE

Ready to make a difference and build your skills? ICIMOD is offering two exciting internship opportunities to support the SANDEE@25 conference. Communications Intern: Are you a storyteller? Help us capture the moments and key insights from the conference by curating photos, drafting content, and promoting the event. Admin Intern: Are you a master of organization? Your support will be crucial for the conference's success, from managing participant data to handling travel logistics and administrative needs. If you're interested in joining a dynamic team and contributing to a meaningful event, we want to hear from you. #ICIMODJobs #Internship #Hiring #JobOpportunity #SANDEE #SANDEE25

📢Internship Opportunity SANDEE-ICIMOD is looking for two interns who will support in administrative and communications aspects of SANDEE, with major focus on the SANDEE@25 event. 👉Application deadline: 24 August 2025 (11:59PM NST) 👉icimod.org/get-involved/v… @Mani_Nepal

Prof Pranab Mukhopadhyay introducing Prof Erin Sills @NCState as the @FromSANDEE @icimod Karl-Göran Mäler Memorial Lecture

A few memoirs from the 49th Biannual Research & Training Workshop in Negombo 🇱🇰 — where 13 grantees shared research progress, 9 defended proposals, and Prof. Erin Sills opened with a powerful keynote on REDD+ and conservation finance. #SANDEEWorkshop #CapacityBuilding #Networking

Register now to hear the latest on Forests, Finance & the Future, next Tuesday, 1 July.   This year’s annual flagship SANDEE-ICIMOD Karl-Göran Mäler Memorial Lecture, the focus will be on ‘REDD+’ - Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.   REDD+, which was set up by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2008, incentivises developing countries to protect forests.     With deforestation the second-largest global cause of greenhouse gas emissions, and scientists saying we risk passing the 1.5ºC global goal governments signed up to in the Paris Agreement in a matter of years, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation has never been more urgent.     With more governments, and impact investors, looking to incentivise forest conservation, it’s an important moment to learn the lessons of over 15 years of REDD+.     Next Tuesday, join us to hear the incredible role performance-based conservation finance can play in our futures, with case studies from across South Asia and beyond from Erin O Sills, Edwin F Conger Professor and Head of the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University, North Carolina, United States. The lecture forms the key moment in the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) biannual research and training workshops, which takes place in Sri Lanka.   It is the only event during these SANDEE research capacity and academic leadership development programmes that are open to the public, with the lecture delivered in honour of Karl-Göran Mäler, one of SANDEE’s founders.   Register now to attend virtually: icimod-org.zoom.us/meeting/regist…  Date and Time: 1 July 2025 | 09:00–10:35 (Sri Lanka Standard Time)   07:30–09:05 AM (Afghanistan) 
 09:30–11:05 AM (Bangladesh) 
 09:30–11:05 AM (Bhutan) 
 11:30 AM–01:05 PM (China) 
 09:00–10:35 AM (India) 
 10:00–11:35 AM (Myanmar) 09:15–10:50 AM (Nepal) 08:30–10:05 AM (Pakistan)  #REDD+ #SANDEE #ICIMOD @FromSANDEE