The Expert Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change

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Query:

Please provide a characterization of the expert dialogue on mountains and climate change that took place at SB 60 and identify further entry points for these issues in other negotiation streams.

Summary:

The Expert Dialogue on mountains and climate change which took place during SB 60 in Bonn, seems to be a one-off event. However, as this is a party-driven process, Parties can decide to reconduct this Dialogue.

Parties and stakeholders gathered for the day and discussed a variety of issues with the underlying aim of identifying further opportunities to discuss mountains in the UNFCCC process. The dialogue should also contribute, among others, to the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience which is the result of the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh (GlaSS) work program on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) which complements the GGA and establishes 11 targets to frame the GGA and its assessment. The focus on the expert dialogue was on knowledge, experience and insights on strengthening the resilience of mountain ecosystems.

As this Expert Dialogue seems to be a one-off event, this query looks at other opportunities to discuss mountains in the context of the UNFCCC process. There are at least two potential opportunities. First, it would be useful to incorporate mountains into existing negotiation streams, specifically adaptation and/or agriculture and technology and/or Research and Systematic Observation (RSO) which are of particular relevance to mountains. This would present various benefits which are explored in this advice. Second, an alternative method would be to look at creating a new workstream on mountains specifically as an agenda item, or even an amendment to the Paris Agreement or the Convention. However, this is unlikely to be successful for the foreseeable future. Thus, Parties interested in promoting mountains further in the UNFCCC are advised to start by including mountains in their submissions in other negotiation streams to raise awareness of the importance of the topic. This advice also maps upcoming relevant calls for submissions.

Advice to Q 19-24 Mountains Dialogue Download