Mountains are invaluable natural assets. Mountains are home to 15% of the global population and nearly half of its biodiversity hotspots. These mountains are providing ecosystem goods and services including fresh water and air to the global communities particularly the communities living in the downstream. However, mountains are facing immense pressure from exploitation, degradation, and climate change. Despite its significance, mountains still do not get due recognition and representation in global forums. In this context, the Government of Nepal is hosting an International Expert Dialogue on Mountain, People, and Climate Change from 22-23 May 2024 in Kathmandu.

The Government of Nepal gives foremost importance to promote the mountain agenda in the global forums. For advancing the mountain agenda, the COP28 was a corner stone to recognise the climate change impacts in the mountainous region across the globe. A high-level round table discussion led by Rt. Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, with participants including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Andorra’s Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora, and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, with a focus on the theme Call of the Mountains: Who saves Us from the Climate Crisis? remained at the centre of COP28 to promote mountain agenda in global discussions. Following the efforts of mountain countries like Nepal and global partnerships, the outcome of the first global stocktake 1/CMA5, requests the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SABSTA) to hold an expert dialogue on mountains and climate change at its sixtieth session in June 2024

This International Expert Dialogue on Mountain, People and Climate Change aims to strengthen, coordinate, and prioritize mountain-based actions in the context of climate change and encourage mountain countries and agencies to collaborate on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) mountain work programs and mandates. This discourse should allow government and stakeholders in mountain countries and their allies to better understand mountain-climate concerns and solutions, share expertise and experience, and enable synergies. More crucially, the dialogue aims to produce concrete roadmaps and strategies for mountains at the experts’ dialogue on mountains and climate change in SBSTA 60 session and beyond.

The dialogue will have opening and closing plenary including thematic discussions in 3 major thematic areas, including two plenary and seven dialogues in different dimensions of climate change adaptation and mitigation. Theme one on ‘climate science and mountain evidence’ includes the session covering evidence on climate change impact, vulnerability, and risks, emerging threat, and crisis in the mountains, and an urgency for action in mountains and beyond. Similarly, the theme two focuses on ‘mountain solutions’ and includes sessions on people, policy, and prosperity; locally-led adaptation; and climate justice, equity, and local voices. The third session includes mountain prospective focusing on resources and opportunities mostly the economic growth through transition to clean and green energy, densifying climate finance and advancing global cooperation and regional partnerships. As a concrete outcome, this international expert dialogue is expected to:

• Develop a shared platform “Group of Mountain Partnership” to raise awareness of mountain vulnerability to climate change, promote collaboration for common understanding and position of the mountainous countries, and give mountain communities their due attention in international and regional processes.
• Explore and exchange knowledge, research, and innovative solutions for adapting to climate change, and minimizing loss and damage to mountain peoples and their livelihoods.
• Promote multilateralism, collaboration, and partnerships concerning technology transfer, capacity development, and climate finance for mountainous nations and their inhabitants.

More than 200 participants representing mountainous countries, international communities, and development partners, international non-government organizations, private sectors and civil society organizations are expected to join the dialogue.

Under the overall leadership of Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, the chair of Environment Protection and Climate Change Management Council, Government of Nepal has formed an advisory committee for the dialogue led by the Honorable Minister the chair of and co-led by the Honorable state Minister of Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), to provide overall strategic guidance to the workshop. An organizing committee is led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment and is represented by relevant ministries and agencies. The joint meeting of the advisory and organizing committee formed the secretariat and expert group and has provided mandate to speed up the organization of expert dialogue. During the dialogue, representatives from all mountain countries, including mountain partners will jointly draw common conclusions, which will then feed into the SBASTA expert dialogue in the forthcoming Bonn Session in June 2024, including Nepal’s initiative on Sagarmatha Sambad (mountain dialogue).  

Speaking at the press meet, Honorable Minister Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi said that this international expert dialogue will help to develop consensus among mountain countries, stakeholder, and allies on common issues, including mountain solutions in addressing climate change issues. Likewise, on behalf of the Government of Nepal and the organizing committee, Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal, Secretary of MoFE appreciated the work of the secretariat in preparation of the event and acknowledged the support received from various development partners, civil society, and Nepali experts. Dr Kharal also requested all the stakeholders, including the media, to provide their crucial support in making this international expert dialogue a grand success.

‘Let’s save our mountains to save ourselves’

Mr. Badri Raj Dhungana, Spokesperson

Date: 15^th April 2024