Hindukush Himalaya Pledge to Tackle Climate Crisis at COP29

Hindukush Himalaya Pledge to Tackle Climate Crisis at COP29

CLIMATE CHANGE

RITURAJ PHUKAN

At the United Nations Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, ministers and heads of delegations from six of the eight countries that share the Earth’s tallest cryosphere zone met at a meeting hosted by Bhutan’s Prime Minister Hon’ble Tshering Tobgay.

Besides the ministers and senior officials from India, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the meeting wass also attended by the Special Envoy Mountains, Kyrgyzstan, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials of the Arctic Council and key representatives from the World Bank, UNESCO, ADB and UNEP.

The Prime Minister of Bhutan said that “The HKH region – this biodiversity hotspot to the world – a repository of some of the world’s biggest amounts of ice – this water tower that supports almost 2 billion people, is at risk.”

India highlighted air pollution as a pressing, shared challenge within the Indo-Gangetic Airshed. “Most of our countries fall under the same air-shed, i.e., the Indo-Gangetic Airshed. This is a transboundary issue. All countries must work together to address air pollution,” stated Naresh Pal Gangwar. He urged nations, particularly Pakistan and Bangladesh, to take proactive, collaborative steps to manage and mitigate air pollution across borders.

“We are vulnerable, and the effects of climate change are already affecting our entire region. The fact that our fast ascending towards 1.5 degree celsius will accelerate disasters for the entire region, 240 million people in HKH and 1.6 billion live downstream. We need to do more. We need to come together with a unified source of vision, with one voice and call for action,” the Prime Minister of Bhutan added.

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Representatives of Nepal shared urgent reminders of climate vulnerability, noting the recent devastating flood that swept away an entire village and the September floods that tragically claimed over 150 lives. He called for solidarity in the fight against climate change and urged everyone to work toward a global partnership.

Bangladesh stressed that climate crisis is impacting not only their own country but the entire region. ‘Not only Bangladesh, but the whole region is suffering. It is immeasurable. And if we remain and do our business as usual, the problem will get severe. We should act to prevent the ongoing loss,’ the representative stated. Bangladesh reaffirmed their commitment to raising these issues, both in regional dialogues and through national platforms, to advocate for the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the intergovernmental research centre for the HKH region, said: “Yet again, across this region this year, families have been mourning their dead, counting lost land, livelihoods, and heritage, or facing up to the agonizing dilemma, of whether to stay in mountain towns and villages, and try to adapt to hugely uncertain conditions, or abandon homes and sever ties with landscapes to which their communities have been entwined for millennia.

“To address this escalating crisis, we must prioritize disaster preparedness, boost adaptation financing and target it where it matters most, pursue the win-win potential of tackling air pollution, drive new investments, quantify economic costs to advocate effectively for loss and damage finance, and support stronger policy coordination.”

Going forward, Bhutan’s Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, presented the need to strengthen regional cooperation on several issues of common concerns and interests including cryosphere risk monitoring, disaster preparedness and early warning systems, including resilient infrastructures, air pollution, biodiversity conservation along with building capacity of the region to access funding from global funds such as Adaptation fund, GEF and GCF, innovative financing solutions, coordination and support at global forums like COPs to represent and amplify common HKH issues and concerns.

Most importantly, the secretary emphasised the need to have a biennial ministers’ meeting as agreed in the 2020 Ministerial Mountain Summit. Given the transboundary nature of the issues faced by HKH countries, there is a dire need for cooperation, engagements, and a coherent regional mechanism.

14-11-2024

Rituraj Phukan: Founder, Indigenous People’s Climate Justice Forum; Co-Founder, Smily Academy ;National Coordinator for Biodiversity, The Climate Reality Project India; Member, IUCN Wilderness Specialist Group; Commission Member – IUCN WCPA Climate Change, IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation, IUCN WCPA Indigenous People and Protected Areas Specialist Groups, IUCN WCPA South Asia Region and IUCN WCPA-SSC Invasive Alien Species Task Force; Member, International Antarctic Expedition 2013; Climate Force Arctic 2019 ; Ambassador, Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary. Rituraj Phukan is the Climate Editor, Mahabahu.

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