The HKH and the decade for climate action

The 2020-2030 period is designated as the decade for decisive climate action, and the world is gearing up for the 26th session of the Conference of Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be hosted by the United Kingdom at Glasgow in November 2021. Hence it is important that at COP26, the HKH region puts forward a compelling case for recognition as a uniquely important but highly vulnerable region.

To that end, we have hosted and participated in events such as our webinar on #HKH2Glasgow, which featured prominent speakers from the region and beyond, including The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, UK, who is the UK’s International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency. Acknowledging the vulnerabilities facing the HKH region, she stressed the importance of better understanding the needs of vulnerable countries and translating political commitments into action on the ground.

We also contributed to a roundtable discussion organized by the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), Government of Nepal in cooperation with the UK government on climate change and a roadmap to COP26.

Participating in an event led by the Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation on sustaining the economy, public health, and environment, we focused on the need to turn the need to turn the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic into opportunities for mountain youth to invest their time in capacity building and engaging in mountain specific entrepreneurship.

As a member of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN), we facilitated and contributed to the organization of a session on ‘Inclusive resilience: from words to action’ under the 7th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Dialogue Series for Enabling Resilience and Scaling-up Action on Climate Change Adaptation, in cooperation with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).

In the ‘Race-to-Zero’ dialogue hosted by the UNFCCC, we presented about actions to build inclusive and resilient supply chains in the mountains exposed to transboundary risks.

As an intergovernmental organization with observer status in the UNFCCC, we also participated in several sessions facilitated by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice.

In 2021, we will further organize and facilitate a series of dedicated activities and generate knowledge and communications products as a part of our strategic communication and engagement campaign #HKH2Glasgow, planned in the run-up to UNFCCC COP26.