The International Geographical Union’s Commission on Cold and High Altitude Regions (IGU CHAR) was established to advance the study of climate change impacts and sustainable development in the polar and high altitude regions internationally.
The polar and high altitude regions are cryosphere regions, and cryosphere is an indicator of global climate change and plays an important role in Earth's climate system.
In the context of global warming, the polar and high altitude regions are experiencing significant cryospheric changes, such as sea ice and ice sheets melting, glaciers retreating, snow cover melting, and permafrost degradation.
Also, those regions are experiencing rapid ecological, hydrological, environmental, social, and geopolitical changes and transformation.
It is particularly valuable to enhance the scientific investigations, especially the international and interdisciplinary investigations, on the rapid changes of cryosphere, ecology, hydrology, climate, society, and economy in the polar and high altitude regions, and strengthen the mitigation and adaptation to the risks of those rapid changes.
The goals of this commission are to promote cooperation and the exchange of knowledge between different regions of the world, establish international and interdisciplinary research for the rapid changes and risks in the polar and high altitude regions and provide scientific support for addressing climate change and sustainable development.