1. Mandate
Decision 1/CMA.5, para 181 requested the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) to hold an expert dialogue on mountains and climate change at the sixtieth session of the SBSTA (June 2024).
2. Objectives
Overall, the expert dialogue will provide space for scientists, policymakers and frontline communities to come together and share knowledge, experience and insights on strengthening the resilience of mountain ecosystems.
Specifically, the expert dialogue will provide a unique opportunity to convene relevant experts and stakeholders with the aim of:
The dialogue will focus on understanding past and possible forward-looking actions in relation to research and systematic observation, dimensions of the iterative adaptation cycle and loss and damage, mitigation strategies, means of implementation and support (financial support, capacity-building, and technology development and transfer).
In addition, the expert dialogue is envisioned to contribute to the UAE framework for Global Climate Resilience.
Please see the concept note for further details.
3. Provisional Agenda
| Time |
Overview |
| Segment I: Opening |
| 10:00 – 10:15 |
Objective, expectation and overall structure of the dialogue
(Mr. Harry Vreuls, Chair of the SBSTA)
|
|
Segment II: Understanding science, risks and impacts on mountains due to climate change, and the role of mountains in building resilience towards climate change
Moderator: Mr. Harry Vreuls, Chair of the SBSTA
|
| 10:15 – 10:55 |
Session description: The session will set the scene and provide context for the dialogue. It will deepen understanding of the key risks and impacts posed to mountainous ecosystems, including downstream communities and transboundary impacts. The session will also provide context to the role of the mountains in building resilience to climate change. It will also deep dive into the application of climate models, observation networks, data, and research gaps that exist in mountainous ecosystems.
- Mr. Robert Vautard, Co-Chair of Working Group I, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Ms. Carolina Adler, Executive Director, Mountain Research Initiative [presentation]
- Ms. Izabella Koziell, Deputy Director General, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) [presentation]
- Ms. Maria Eugenia Choque Quispe, Network on Biodiversity of Indigenous Women from Latin America and the Caribbean and Ms. Camilla Romero, Asociación Indígena Trem Tem Mapu
|
|
Segment III Technical segment: Solutions contributing to resilience of mountainous ecosystems to climate change
(Session co-moderators: Ms. Carolina Adler, Executive Director, Mountain Research Initiative and Mr. Thinley Namgyel, United Arab Emirates)
|
| 10:55 – 11:50 |
Session description: Issues related to mountains and climate change are multifaceted and vary from region to region. Countries and communities are implementing innovative solutions that can be further scaled up and scaled out and could inspire transformative actions. The session will include interaction with four experts who will share their reflections from various regions addressing following thematic topics: dimensions of the iterative adaptation cycle and loss and damage; mitigation strategies; means of implementation of support
- Ms. Julia Wolf, Global Manager – SCALA Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
[presentation]
- Ms. Alenka Smerkolj, Secretary General, Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention [presentation]
- Mr. Ansgar Fellendorf, Mountain and Climate Change Expert, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) [presentation]
- Mr. Ali Raza Rizvi, Global Head Climate Change and Energy Transition, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) [presentation]
|
| 11:50 – 13:00 |
Session description: The session will include group exercise by regions. The ensuing discussion will help discussing ways to accelerate climate action at scale and at all levels, contributing to the resilience of mountain ecosystems, including in countries with fragile mountain ecosystems. The session will address the thematic topics: dimensions of the iterative adaptation cycle and loss and damage; mitigation strategies; means of implementation of support. For each region, participants could focus their discussion on thematic topics most relevant to the region to allow more deeper discussion.
PART I: Sharing “existing” knowledge and know-how
- Share examples of “inspiring” and “innovative” solutions that have contributed to resilience of mountainous ecosystems to climate change focusing on the thematic topics: dimensions of the iterative adaptation cycle and loss and damage; mitigation strategies; means of implementation of support. Following questions could be used to guide the discussion on the thematic topics most relevant to the region to allow more deeper discussion:
- What are outcomes and impacts?
- What are examples of innovative examples of support in building resilience of mountainous ecosystems?
- How have you engaged values, knowledge systems and worldviews of Indigenous Peoples and local communities?
- Are these examples transformative? If so, how?
- How have you considered transboundary impacts, including on downstream communities and countries? Could you share your experience of transboundary/regional cooperation and benefits in developing resilience solutions?
PART II: Discussing way to accelerate climate action
- What are your “key” recommendations in scaling up innovative solutions/good practices that we have discussed today?
- Forward-looking:
- What are the barriers/needs?
- What needs to happen?
- What are the key considerations to strengthening enabling environments, including support, for advancing the resilience of these ecosystems? Are these region-specific? If so, why?
Groups and co-moderators:
- African States: Co-moderators – Ms. Amy Duchelle, Senior Forest Officer, Team Leader, Forests & Climate Change, FAO and Mr. Stefan Schneiderbauer, Co-Head, United Nations University - Global Mountain Safeguard Research (UNU -GLOMOS)
- Asia-Pacific States: Co-moderators – Ms. Kunzang, Action Area Coordinator - Global Engagements and Leadership, ICIMOD and Mr. Manjeet Dhakal, Head of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Support Team and Director (Climate Analytics)
- Latin American and Caribbean States: Co-moderators – Ms. Maria Arguello, Executive Director (CONDESAN) and Mr. Luis Daniel Llambi, Coordinator Adaptation at Altitude Program - Andes (CONDESAN)
- Eastern European States: Co-moderators – Ms. Nathalie Morelle, Senior Executive Officer (Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention) and Ms. Pamela Pearson, Director and Founder, International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI)
- Western European and other States: Co-moderators – Ms. Pallavi G Sherikar, Senior Advisor, Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (U.S. Department of State) and Ms. Hanna Plotnykova, Environmental Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Water Convention
|
| |
Break for lunch |
| 15:00 – 15:45 |
Session description: Inter-group exercise to identify synergies and differences between different regions.
|
| 15:45 – 16:45 |
Session description: Reporting back key messages from the break-out groups and additional reflections from participants.
|
|
Segment IV: High level concluding panel: Accelerating climate action in mountains
Moderator: Mr. Harry Vreuls, Chair of the SBSTA
|
| 16:45 – 17:50 |
Session description: The session will focus on building a collective vision towards building resilience of mountainous ecosystems. The high-level panel will provide inspiring ambition on the following aspects:
- What leadership is needed to steer the world towards staying below 1.5°C temperature limit to protect mountain ecosystems?
- How to continue the political momentum, strengthen efforts and create enabling environments to build resilience of mountainous ecosystems, both under and outside the UNFCCC process?
- How to achieve the targets under the Global Goal on Adaptation in achieving long-term transformational and incremental adaptation, in the context of implementing the UAE framework for Global Climate Resilience, insofar as it relates to mountainous ecosystems?
Panel:
- H.E. Edil Baisalov, Vice-Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Ms. Maphakamile Xingwana, Principal Secretary, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Lesotho
- Mr. Omar Al Braiki, Deputy Climate Chief Negotiator, Office of the United Arab Emirates special envoy for climate change
- Mr. Greg Flato, Director of the Climate Research Division, Environment and Climate Change, Canada
- Mr. Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal
- Ms. Jala Ibrahimova, Senior Negotiator of the COP29 Presidency
|
| Segment V: Closing |
| 17:50 – 18:00 |
Closing remarks: Mr. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC
Reflections and closing: Mr. Harry Vreuls, Chair of the SBSTA
|
4. Scope of the dialogue:
While issues related to mountains and climate change are multifaceted and vary from region to region, the expert dialogue will only focus on specific topics of relevance.
To ensure that the topics and ensuing questions are most relevant, findings from the analyses of relevant national reports (such as national adaptation plans, national communications and nationally determined contributions) of countries in mountain regions have been used as initial inputs to identify thematic areas and cross-cutting issues for the expert dialogue.
The whole day event will be divided into three parts, namely:
I. Background and context
- Vulnerability of mountains, including transboundary issues and impacts on downstream communities;
- Role of mountains in building climate resilience;
- Research and systematic observation.
II. Solutions contributing to resilience of mountainous ecosystems to climate change
- Dimensions of the iterative adaptation cycle and loss and damage;
- Mitigation strategies;
- Means of implementation and support (financial support, capacity-building, technology development and transfer).
III. Accelerating climate action in mountains
- Building a collective vision towards resilience of mountainous ecosystems;
- Strengthening efforts, including long-term transformational and incremental adaptation, towards achieving the targets under the Global Goal on Adaptation, in the context of implementing the UAE framework for Global Climate Resilience, insofar as it relates to mountainous ecosystems.
5. Conduct of the expert dialogue
Ahead of the expert dialogue taking place during SB 60, the SBSTA Chair will organize an informal virtual meeting to initiate the technical discussion on various topics (please see below for more information). The outcomes of the informal meeting will be used to finalize the agenda for the expert dialogue.
The expert dialogue will take place on 5 June 2024, during SB 60, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will be divided into two parts:
- A dialogue on the different thematic aspects related to mountains and climate change;
- A concluding panel to summarize key findings and recommendations.
In addition, the expert dialogue will include the following considerations in its design and/or methodology:
- Discussions will revolve around various themes aligned with the topics presented above.
- It will be interactive and will use a combination of case study presentations and facilitated discussion.
- The facilitated discussion will be based on guiding questions drafted with inputs from a variety of experts.
The secretariat will prepare an informal summary report under the guidance of the SBSTA Chair. The report will capture the proceedings and outcomes of the dialogue and will be made available on the dialogue webpage.
6. Informal virtual meeting (13 May 2024 from 12:00 to 14:30, CEST)
The Chair of the SBSTA convened an informal virtual meeting to inform the organization of the Expert Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change. The objective of this informal virtual meeting was to initiate technical discussion on various topics to further inform the design and delivery of the dialogue. Please see notifications for Parties here and for UN, IGOs and NGOs here.