Nepal calls for a unified mountain voice for urgent climate action
28.05.2024
“Without cohesive and effective adaptation and mitigation plans, climate change has the capacity to undo the progress of development and plunge millions more into poverty,” said the Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, emphasizing that climate change presents a universal threat affecting all people and ecosystems.
Speaking at the two-day international expert dialogue on “Mountain, People, and Climate Change” in Kathmandu on 22-23 May, Prime Minister Dahal also warned that mountain countries, situated at the forefront of the global climate crisis, bear disproportionate climate change burdens. A unified mountain voice and greater technical and economic collaboration are needed to address these escalating concerns and protect the crucial ecosystem services provided by mountain regions.
The Government of Nepal, a long-standing member of the Mountain Partnership (MP) and a key advocate for mountain issues, hosted the event. It gathered over 250 participants from 23 countries, including government officials, climate scientists, researchers and global stakeholders, to discuss the impacts of climate change on mountains and their implications for the rest of the world.
Featuring nine sessions with around 60 national and international speakers, the dialogue aimed to strengthen mountain-based actions in the face of climate change. It also focused on fostering collaboration between mountainous and low-lying countries, as well as UN agencies, to advance the mountain agenda in global climate negotiations.
In his keynote address, Baikuntha Aryal, Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, emphasized the severe repercussions of climate change on Nepal's mountain communities, highlighting recent climate-induced disasters and flooding in the country. He stressed the urgent need for solutions to ensure food and water security, preserve biodiversity, promote inclusivity and safeguard mountain culture and Indigenous Peoples. “Mountains serve as vital sources of water and livelihood, while also playing a crucial role in global temperature regulation. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a sustained platform to address the challenges posed by climate crises in mountainous regions,” he stated.
Rosalaura Romeo, Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, highlighted the efforts made by key MP governments and members to mainstream mountains in global processes, including the UNFCCC Expert Dialogue at SBSTA 60. She stated, “We are facing an unprecedented climate crisis, and mountains are at the centre of this. These dialogues are opportunities to create a unique Mountain Voice, a voice for climate action to prevent further loss of livelihoods all around the world – upstream and downstream.”
Other speakers also demonstrated solidarity and commitment to global action, including Dinara Kemelova, Special Envoy of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on Mountain Agenda, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change of Bangladesh, Karen Welch, Mission Director of USAID, Hanna Singer Hamdy, UN Country Representative of Nepal, and Harry Vireau, Chair of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA).
Discussions emphasized the importance of global efforts and partnerships to protect mountain ecosystems, the increasing frequency of climate-induced disasters in mountainous regions, and the need for more collective solutions and international cooperation to fulfill climate commitments.
Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock of Bhutan, called for a unified regional strategy to achieve sustainable outcomes that enhance the resilience of mountain ecosystems. He highlighted the importance of amplifying mountain youth voices with a poem by his 12-year-old son: “Majestic peaks that touch the sky; guardians of earth, standing high. Homes to cultures old and grand, nourishing every arid land. We must protect their towering grace; for in their strength, our future lies.”
The Government of Nepal and the Ministry of Forest and Environment of Nepal organized the International Dialogue in partnership with the Mountain Partnership, USAID Biodiversity, ICIMOD, Asian Development Bank, FAO Nepal, UNDP Nepal, Oxford Policy Management, UKAID, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA) and the Global Youth Biodiversity Network-Nepal.
Press release in the Himalayan Times
Press release in The Rising Nepal
Learn more about the International Dialogue
Photo by Prerana Lama
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