Ev-K²-CNR Committee

At the and of the 1980s, the idea that mountaineering was not the only way to value the mountains began to reemerge. Thanks to the meeting of minds between Agostino Da Polenza and Prof. Ardito Desio, the enlightened intuition of moving beyond the concept of conquest took on a new shape. In 1987, they founded the Ev-K²-CNR Project,  paving the way for scientific research at high altitude with the remeasurement of Everest and K2, in collaboration with the Italian National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – CNR).

Just two years later, in 1989, the Ev-K²-CNR Committee was founded, an independent, private, non-profit association for the promotion and development of technological and scientific research in the Hindu Kush-Karakorum-Himalaya (HKKH) region, placing particular emphasis on Nepal, Pakistan, China (Tibet Autonomous Region), India and Bhutan. 

The Committee, still led today by Agostino Da Polenza, conforms to the strategies and commitments of CNR, regarding management of research; knowledge development; promotion of innovation and research networks; and support of public administrations and technological solutions that meet the needs of mountain populations through capacity building and international cooperation.  Following these guidelines, about a dozen projects are carried out every year, within the framework of three-year strategically-planned programs.

Committee members include researchers from CNR institutes, Italian and foreign universities and other experts.  Together, they form a strong network of collaboration operating through intergovernmental and inter-institutional agreements involving UN Agencies, national scientific institutions and NGOs, to ensure the high quality of research and optimization of results.

Thanks to ongoing support from CNR, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policy, Ev-K²-CNR contributes to substantially improving the wellbeing, quality of life and economic opportunities of mountain populations, while protecting and valorizing mountain natural resources.

The Ev-K²-CNR Committee mission is to provide specialized scientific support aimed at the sustainable development of high altitude remote areas to ensure environmental conservation and quality of life for local populations by furthering scientific knowledge, transferring scientific results applied to sustainable management of mountain regions, pursuing capacity building activities, and promoting cooperation in the respect of local cultures and traditions.

	Objectives The Ev-K²-CNR Committee, to fulfill its mission and meet its institutional responsibilities, has set these objectives for itself...
	Organization and structure The Ev-K²-CNR Committee is organized as follows...
	Collaborating Institutions The Ev-K²-CNR Committee carries out its activities in collaboration with several national and international partners...
	International relations The Ev-K²-CNR Committee has developed strategic relations with many prestigious international organizations ...
	Agreements A list of the current MOUs and framework/collaboration agreements signed by the Ev-K²-CNR Committee...
	Researchers Several Italian researchers collaborate with the Ev-K²-CNR Committee in a variety of disciplines...