'Sagarmatha Sambaad' in Nepal calls for action to save mountain ecosystem through international collaboration

Kathmandu, May 18 (PTI) The first edition of the 'Sagarmatha Sambaad' concluded in Kathmandu with the adoption of the 25-point "Sagarmatha Call for Action", an urgent appeal to the international community to address the ongoing climate crisis, with a special focus on conserving the mountain ecosystems.

The three-day global dialogue from May 16 to 18 brought together over 300 participants, including experts and officials from governments, multilateral institutions, academia, civil society, the private sector, and media from India, China, Bhutan and Azerbaijan.

"Climate change is an unprecedented challenge and the well-being of present and future generations of humankind depends on immediate and urgent response," said a statement at the end of the dialogue.

The declaration acknowledged the urgency to maintain environmental integrity as mountain glaciers and the cryosphere are receding, exerting pressure on snow-fed river systems that constitute the lifeline to species, ecosystems and genetic resources.

Convened under the theme “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity”, the dialogue underscored the vulnerability of mountain regions in the wake of global warming, stressing the role these ecosystems play in maintaining planetary health.

Participants highlighted that with glaciers melting at an unprecedented rate, the impacts of climate change were not confined to the highlands but ripple across lowland and coastal regions through disrupted hydrological cycles, biodiversity loss, and increased frequency of natural disasters.

The "Sagarmatha Call for Action" has reaffirmed the global commitment to the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It stresses the urgency of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and calls for accelerated global efforts in emissions reduction, climate adaptation, loss and damage response, and equitable financial support to developing and climate-vulnerable nations.

Particular concern was raised over the growing threats to glacier-fed river systems that serve as lifelines for billions of people.

Delegates acknowledged that mountain communities contribute minimally to global emissions, but bear the disproportionate brunt of climate change impacts.

The dialogue recognised the cascading effects of glacial loss, such as rising sea levels, floods, droughts, landslides and extreme weather events, which endanger both natural ecosystems and human livelihoods across the globe.

The declaration encouraged countries to develop and implement National Adaptation Plans to respond to country-specific adaptation needs and calls for enhanced provisions and mobilisation of international financial support, particularly through grants and concessional financing for implementation of climate actions in developing countries, including countries in special situations.

It also encouraged collective efforts to ensure equitable and simplified access for the developing countries, particularly those vulnerable to climate change, to the international climate finance from bilateral, multilateral and alternative sources, including the operating entities of the financial mechanisms and the funds under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

The declaration acknowledged the importance of promoting green, resilient and inclusive development, ranging from small to large-scale infrastructures in both rural and urban communities, as appropriate.

It also encouraged dialogues on mountains and climate change agendas with special focus on the triple planetary crisis and short-lived climate forces, given their profound impact on regional climate monsoons, cryosphere and public health.

It stresses the significance of clean energy, energy efficiency and transition, recognising the importance of powering the future through clean energy as well as green circular and bio-economies.

The declaration promotes climate justice across all climate actions by ensuring fair, inclusive and evidence-based solutions to the developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.

It emphasises the need to develop knowledge centres, share best practices and enhance the roles of local communities in climate policies, programmes and actions.

It resolves to forging a common voice for urgent climate action that resonates from the Sagarmatha to the seas, and from highlands to islands.

The declaration issued at the end of the three-day event calls for bold and transformative measures, including setting ambitious national climate targets, mobilising international finance through grants and concessional loans, and establishing a dedicated fund to support mountain countries in implementing sustainable development and climate adaptation strategies. PTI SBP PY PY PY