Nepal stresses recognising mountain region, climate change issue as institutional agenda at COP-31

Antalya (Turkiye), Nov 13: Nepal has urged to establish mountain region and climate change issues as the permanent and institutional agenda.

During the meeting under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Nepal pointed out the need of a separate action plan, regular dialogue and high-level political commitment to address the growing risk at mountain region, glacier lake outburst related disaster, loss of lives and property and impacts on ecosystem due to climate change.

Presenting Nepal’s concept on Presidency Consultations related to mountain region and climate change organised here under COP-31, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment and Chief of Climate Change Management Division, Dr Maheshwor Dhakal, shared that problems of mountain regions should not be limited only to discussion.
Presenting the shared concept of Nepal and Bhutan, he opined that demand of a separate agenda related to mountain region and climate change is not merely a theoretical matter, it is consequences of the serious humanitarian and environmental crisis facing by mountain nations.

Dhakal mentioned that rising temperature and the risk of exceeding global warming above 1.5 degree Celsius has made the crisis of mountain region more serious, adding the recently occurred avalanche in Bhotekoshi river of Nepal caused huge damages to lives, livelihood and physical infrastructures.

Stating that issues of mountain regions is not new topic in international conference related to climate change, he stressed that the first Global Stocktake held in COP-28 had given a mandate for an expert dialogue related to mountain region.

The dialogue was held in 2024. COP-30 had put forth the issue of organizing another dialogue in 2026.

Sharing that although these efforts were positive, they were not sufficient to address challenges of mountain region, Dr Dhakal emphasized the need of structured, continuous and result-oriented institutional process.

Nepal has proposed to run a separate programme related to mountainous areas and climate change. Nepal wants this programme to cover climate change mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and the means for implementation.

Similarly, Nepal has proposed organizing a high-level mountain dialogue to ensure continuity and solid achievements on mountain issues through institutional annual dialogues, and to increase political attention and commitment.

Nepal has also emphasized the need to expand scientific research and studies on the impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems.

It has pointed out that more scientific studies are needed on the effects of rising temperatures, the magnitude and duration of temperatures exceeding the 1.5-degree Celsius limit, and how this will affect communities living in both mountainous and lower coastal areas.

Nepal has asked the international community to provide immediate and additional support to high-risk mountainous countries for financial resources, technology transfer, capacity building, early warning systems, and addressing loss and damage caused by climate change.

Noting that the effects of climate change in mountainous areas are not just potential future risks but realities already being seen, Dr Dhakal mentioned that its impact will not be limited to mountainous areas but will spread to other regions as well.

While problems in the mountainous regions are increasing, he pointed out that just organizing one dialogue after another is not enough, and emphasized the need for an institutional structure that can immediately turn scientific facts and political commitments into action and support.

Nepal has urged the conference’s presidium and all member countries to come up with meaningful and concrete conclusions on mountain regions and climate change at COP-31.

Nepal and Bhutan’s shared standpoint prioritizes the recognition of mountain issues in climate risks, financial needs, and international climate negotiations for mountain countries. RSS