Author: Aparna Bose
Proposals by Nepal and Bhutan, and separately by Kyrgyzstan, to secure formal agenda items on mountain-related issues at the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) failed to secure the backing of major negotiating blocs, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has said.
Khanal said the three countries would continue to face challenges in securing stronger formal recognition of mountain-related issues without the support of major countries. He said some nations explicitly backed the proposals, while others remained reluctant.
Nepal and Bhutan had sought a dedicated discussion on the impacts of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming and temperature overshoot on mountain ecosystems, including glaciers, water systems and mountain communities.
The two countries also proposed a scientific assessment, an annual high-level political dialogue and a dedicated UN climate work programme on mountain ecosystems, besides integrating mountain-specific priorities into global climate adaptation and finance frameworks.
Kyrgyzstan separately proposed institutionalising an annual dialogue on mountains and climate change as a standing agenda item at meetings of the UN climate body’s subsidiary bodies, with its outcomes reported to the Conference of the Parties. COP31 commenced on Monday in Antalya, Turkiye. The two proposals were listed as items 20 and 18, respectively, in the supplementary provisional agenda issued by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on November 6.
But they were not retained as separate agenda items when parties adopted the agenda on Monday. However, parties agreed that the COP31 presidency would hold consultations on mountain-related issues, with the theme also to feature in an upcoming research dialogue and a series of discussions at meetings of the subsidiary bodies in 2027 and 2028.”This is part of a big negotiation. Different major blocs did not support it, and that made it difficult for the agenda to go through. From our side, we pushed as hard as we could. There were different voices in the room. Some explicitly supported our agenda, while others were quite reluctant,” Khanal said.
A source with direct knowledge of the discussions said developed nations did not show interest when the three countries formally pushed the proposals.
“The agenda focused on the Himalayas was clearly diluted, and it was the European Union which did not show any interest in this agenda. Even though the issue is not completely off the charts, a high-level dialogue is expected on it soon,” the source said. The source added that developing nations did not object to or block the proposals when they were raised. Asked which countries supported the proposals, Khanal said several Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and mountain nations were positive, while developed countries were reluctant to take up new agenda items.
According to the Nepal Government, a research dialogue on mountain-related issues is expected during COP31, while the presidency has agreed to hold consultations and include the theme in further discussions.
“Compared to the past, we feel there is positive momentum, with the world community increasingly seeing the mountain issue as one of the core issues. That recognition is building. It may take some time to get where we really want to be, but we feel we are on a positive track,” Khanal said.