The Himalayas contain the largest area of glacial ice outside the polar regions. These glaciers are the natural source of the largest rivers in Asia, which provide freshwater for hundreds of millions of people downstream. Current findings show that warmer temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change are accelerating the deglaciation of the Himalayan region, with cascading effects for the region’s ecology and livelihoods. As the region’s stakeholders take steps to address the risks of Himalayan deglaciation while striving to satisfy the demands of their growing economies, their capacity to address the climate crisis will depend upon comprehensive scientific understanding of the threat of the melting glaciers and the ability to mobilize science for effective public policy.

Controversies regarding the Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have raised numerous questions over the role of the scientific community in helping to resolve the threats of climate change in the Himalayas. Yet, by bringing together scientists from the various regions stakeholders, the IPCC is a unique platform for tackling transnational environmental problems. The purpose of this article is to address the fundamental question: what is the capacity of the IPCC scientific community to address the impacts associated with climate change in the Himalayas?

I draw upon the disciplines of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and the interdisciplinary research on vulnerability and resilience to understand and document the successes and failures of the IPCC scientific community in terms of two key concepts: 1) Scientific expertise with the capacity to be adaptive, pragmatic, and problem solving is key in addressing the impacts of climate change on the uniquely diverse Himalayan freshwater ecosystems 2) The ability of the scientific communities to collaborate pragmatically amongst themselves and with policy makers in a national and international arena, and against the backdrop of the need of the region to grow economically is crucial for the resolution of the crisis.

A social study of the IPCC based on STS framework and theories will contribute to assessing the capacities and limitations of this transnational scientific community in addressing the impacts of climate change in the uniquely diverse region of the Himalayas. This paper will serve as a stepping stone for the sharing of expert knowledge on climate change among scientists and policymakers by pointing to the challenges that play out at the heart of this key scientific institution.