Transboundary climate risks and adaptation in mountain areas: a brief for Parties and Observers to the UNFCCC

Summary

This policy brief, developed in collaboration with Adaptation without Borders and Adaptation at Altitude, highlights engagement opportunities for UNFCCC Parties and Observers to bring in transboundary climate impacts and climate change adaptation in mountain areas across relevant negotiation tracks: Global Stocktake, Global Goal on Adaptation, Finance, Planning and reporting, and Loss and Damage.

Why this brief?

Transboundary climate impacts, and the risks they generate within and beyond mountain areas, are of rising concern in international climate change negotiations. These risks are highly relevant to the adaptation needs of all countries.

This brief is intended for Parties and Observers to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It articulates what transboundary climate risks are, why they matter, and their relevance for different negotiation tracks – including proposed calls for action.

These negotiation tracks represent important and appro- priate entry points for raising transboundary climate risks and advancing the mountain agenda at the upcom- ing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) and beyond.

With many groups making transboundary climate risks a priority – even working towards the development of common positions – negotiators have an opportunity to raise the specific needs and concerns of their countries and take steps to assure their region’s future climate resilience.

The rationale: raising transboundary climate risks and the adaptation needs of mountain communities at COP29 and beyond

There is a strong rationale for negotiators of the Hindu Kush Himalaya to raise transboundary climate risks and the adaptation needs of mountain communities at COP29 and beyond. We provide three compelling arguments:

• Transboundary climate risks and adaptation in mountain areas are increasingly highlighted in Party submissions to the UNFCCC. Countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya are already a part of this growing and diverse coalition. But strengthening the region’s resilience to transboundary climate risks will require bold and coordinated efforts.
• Transboundary climate risks and adaptation in mountain areas are gaining increasing traction on the world stage. There is momentum to harness but also a risk of deepening long-held divides.
• Raising transboundary climate risks and adaptation in mountain areas in the negotiations could lead to breakthroughs on otherwise intractable negotiating issues.

To read further information please see pages 3-5 of the brief, available to download on the right hand side.

Entry points in UNFCCC negotiation tracks at COP29 and beyond

We identify five negotiation tracks at COP29 and beyond that represent important and appropriate entry points for raising transboundary climate risks and advancing the mountain agenda. For each track, we propose concrete recommendations, describe relevant contextual developments, clarify the specific case and rationale, and point to further resources.

• The Global Goal on Adaptation and UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience
• The Global Stocktake
• Planning and reporting
• Finance
• Loss and damage

To read further information please see pages 5-11 of the brief, available to download on the right hand side.

Recommendations for Observer Organizations

There were 3,804 organizations (3,631 NGOs and 173 IGOs) admitted as observers to COP28. As representatives from business and industry, environmental groups, farming and agriculture, Indigenous Peoples, local governments and municipal authorities, research and academic institutes, labour unions, women and gender and youth groups, their actions are critical to raising issues on the agendas of the United Nations Climate Change Conferences.

In the brief, on page 11, we outline 9 recommendations for observers to directly support negotiators to implement the recommendations in this brief and create a strong enabling environment to strengthen their uptake and amplify their impact. There are countless opportunities on the road to COP29 and COP30 to advance the mountain agenda and strengthen international cooperation on adaptation to transboundary climate risk. All it requires of us is to harness them.

To read further information please see pages 11 of the brief, available to download on the right hand side.