Events

UNFCCC COP 28 / Cryosphere Pavilion event - Elevating mountains and the cryosphere to the forefront of international processes

From: 10.12.2023 to: 10.12.2023

Mountains, as the world's water towers and integral elements of the cryosphere, are vital to billions of inhabitants in mountains and connected lowland areas. Yet mountains are under threat from climate change, land degradation and natural disasters, with potentially far-reaching and devastating consequences for both mountain communities and the rest of the world.

In this event, to be held at 18.00-19.00 on 10 December in the Cryosphere Pavilion, key stakeholders will gather to discuss strategies for increasing political support for the conservation and restoration of mountain resources, examine the intricate links between climate change and security, and consider best practices and recommendations to accelerate transformative and political momentum towards inclusive, resilient and sustainable mountain development.

Session aims

• Explore how the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions (2023-2027) and the upcoming International Year of Glaciers' Preservation 2025 can elevate the mountain-cryosphere nexus on a global scale and accelerate action and investments.
• Highlight the role of a political alliance among governments centered on mountains and the cryosphere within the framework of the UNFCCC.
• Examine the interconnectedness between climate change, security and the mountain-cryosphere nexus, focusing on the potential security implications of cryosphere shifts and their impacts on mountain ecosystems and communities.
• Build on the International Mountain Day celebrations as an opportunity to raise awareness and build partnerships for restoring mountains so they can continue to provide key ecosystem services and goods.

Session speakers

• Rosalaura Romeo (moderator), Coordinator, Mountain Partnership Secretariat, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Asif Hyder Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Pakistan
• Alenka Smerkolj, Secretary General, Alpine Convention
• Anil Mishra, Chief of Section, Hydrological Systems, Climate Change and Adaptation Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), Division of Water Sciences, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• Ian Lisk, President, Commission for Weather, Climate, Hydrological, Marine and Related Environmental Services and Applications (SERCOM), World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• Grammenos Mastrojeni, Senior Deputy Secretary General, Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean
• Onno Ruhl, General Manager, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat
• Eric Smith, Vice President, Aspen International Mountain Foundation (AIMF)
• Sarisher Mann, Global Head of Sustainable Finance Communications and Marketing, BNP Paribas CIB, and Founder, Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative 

Watch the webcast

Read more

See the list of mountain-related events at UNFCCC COP 28

Photo: ©Prasidha Pokhrel