ICIMOD has been leading efforts to integrate mountain-specific issues into global climate agendas to build resilience in the teeth of the severe climate risks the region faces, including glacial melt, extreme weather, and biodiversity loss.

Building the resilience of the HKH requires a concerted effort to mainstream adaptation actions across all levels of governance. By supporting governments in the region and working with like-minded mountainous countries and partners around the world, ICIMOD played a key role in securing focus for the mountain agenda within the UNFCCC COP process. 2024 saw the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Chair hold the Expert Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change at SB60 in June, an event mandated in the COP28 global stocktake decision following joint-advocacy efforts among mountain partners. ICIMOD was one of the keynote speakers at the Dialogue.

In November, at COP 29 in Baku, mountains were highlighted in the GGA decision texts (see 1/CMA. 5 and 2/CMA.5), and mountain indicators were included in the list of proposed GGA target indicators. Once adopted, this will help to ensure that mountain issues will be addressed, monitored, and reported across national climate plans and reporting tools of relevant countries. This constitutes a leap forward in building mountain resilience.

Amidst the multitude of challenges brought by climate change, continued support to RMCs’ negotiation work and advocacy on the global stage will continue to be crucial to ensure the inclusion of mountain-specific indicators in the GGA target indicators, set for adoption at COP 30 in 2025.