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SBSTA 60 side event mobilizes Mountain Partnership countries for climate change action

13.06.2024

The Government of Andorra, in collaboration with the Government of Kyrgyzstan and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and in the framework of the Mountain Partnership, hosted a side event on the sidelines of the 60th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 60) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to strengthen political support for mountains ahead of the Expert Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change.

Entitled "Mobilizing the Mountain Partnership countries for addressing climate change", the side event marked another important step in the ongoing process to draw focus to mountains within the UNFCCC as well as other major international processes. The event was held on 4 June, the day before the Expert Dialogue, which was officially requested to be held at SBSTA 60 in the Global Stocktake.

The session provided an opportunity to exchange views, strengthen political support and mobilize countries for mountain climate action ahead of the Dialogue and on the road to the upcoming UNFCCC COP 29 in November in Azerbaijan. The event also spotlighted new and existing mountain advocacy initiatives, along with key learnings from these, to highlight political cooperation and call for innovative financing mechanisms to scale up investments in mountains.

Participants showcased best practices for adaptation in mountains and nature-based solutions to combat climate change. They exchanged mountain-related updates across international policy processes, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention to Combat Desertification, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions.

A call for action on mountains was presented by Kyrgyzstan, who requested that the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) continue leading the implementation of the global mountain agenda. Andorra also emphasized the role of the MPS as a unified voice for mountain countries.

Speakers included Carles Miquel, Director for Energy and Transportation, Secretary of State for Energy Transition, Transportation and Mobility, Andorra; Dinara Kemelova, Ambassador, Special Envoy of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on Mountain Agenda, Kyrgyzstan; Sonam Tashi, Chief Planning Officer, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Bhutan; Eduardo Silva Besa, Head of department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile; Sergio Salazar, First Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombia; Oumou Doumbouya, Regional Project Coordinator, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, UNFCCC Focal Point, Guinea; Maheshwar Dhakal, Joint Secretary and Chief of Participatory Forestry Division, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal; César Joycep Aréstegui Bravo, Deputy Director for the Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peru; Izabella Koziell, Deputy Director General and Kunzang, Action Area Coordinator, ICIMOD; Alenka Smerkolj, Secretary General, Alpine Convention; Eva Garcia-Balaguer, Coordinating Officer, Pyrenees Climate Change Observatory; and Borja De La Peña Escardó, Global Policy Officer, International Bamboo and Rattan Organization.

The Government of Andorra has been championing the global mountain agenda jointly with other key mountain countries such as Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and other Mountain Partnership member governments. Their active commitment has resulted in an increase in attention to mountain issues in key UN processes.