Special funding windows stressed for mountain resource conservation

Islamabad : The Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) hosted a Pre-COP29 virtual international conference on ‘Mountains and Climate Finance’ here on Wednesday.

The session brought together experts, policymakers, environmental activists, and community leaders from different countries, and officials from the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (Rome-Italy). They emphasized the urgency of prioritizing mountain resource conservation in climate finance strategies and underscored the critical role of local communities in sustainable development policies.

The event highlighted the unique vulnerabilities and contributions of mountainous regions in the face of climate change and called for a global platform to secure dedicated financing for mountain ecosystems. The webinar was a preparatory session for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to take place in November 2024 in Baku (Azerbaijan).

Participants voiced concerns over the limited attention mountain regions receive in global climate finance frameworks and urged international communities to actively advocate for dedicated resources to address the specific climate impacts on mountainous areas. The webinar brought together prominent speakers, including mountain conservation experts, climate finance analysts, and community leaders, who collectively stressed the need for comprehensive approaches to mountain conservation and climate adaptation. Keynote speakers emphasized that mountain regions, particularly in Pakistan and neighbouring countries, are experiencing rapid changes due to climate-induced phenomena like glacial melt, changing precipitation patterns, and biodiversity loss, which threaten both ecosystems and livelihoods.

Munir Ahmed, Director of Devcom-Pakistan and a dedicated advocate for mountain conservation, highlighted the stark reality facing mountain communities: “Mountains provide essential resources like water, biodiversity, and minerals that sustain millions of people downstream. Despite this, these regions are often overlooked in global climate financing mechanisms. We must push for climate policies that specifically address the needs of mountain ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.”

Sara Manuelli, UNFAO Mountain Partnership Advocacy and Communication Officer, said its only in COP28 the mountain challenges were included in the agenda. She urged investing in sustainable mountain development, terming it is necessary to scale up climate action in mountains. The governments need to prioritize addressing the drivers of vulnerability, such as poverty, isolation and gender inequalities that require mobilising financial resources that are adequate to the scale of necessary actions. This requires addressing the significant gap in sustainable financing. Initiatives often rely on short-term funding cycles, hindering maintenance by local stakeholders.

To address this, innovative financing mechanisms are needed, such as public-private partnerships, revolving funds and targeted loans for small-scale producers. Removing barriers to market access for mountain products can enhance economic opportunities and incentivize sustainable practices.

Ashiq Ahmed Khan, EvK2CNR Scientific Advisor, said that Pakistan is not getting its due share in global climate finance while the mountain agenda is put on the backburner. We need to understand the urgency of protection and conservation of mountain resources. Other speakers included Director Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency Shahhzad Hassan Shigri, NewsOne Media Group CEO Seema Taher Khan, Corin Coridass (Romania), Sadaf Khalid, Tahir Imran Khan, Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Sobirjon (Uzbekistan), Feda (Tajikistan), and Susmita Puri (Nepal). Key Recommendations from the Webinar were to elevate the voice for mountain conservation in climate finance policies. Speakers called for governments in mountainous countries to

prioritize resource conservation and resilience in mountain regions when negotiating climate finance.