08 – 18 June 2026

Bonn, Germany

Advocating the mountain agenda, promoting ambitious climate action and catalysing investments in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Introduction

A key mid-year meeting for climate negotiations ahead of COP 31, the 64th Sessions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Bodies (SB64), commonly known as the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2026, will be held from June 8 to 18, 2026, at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) in Germany.

Considered a transition convening activity between 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 30) and COP 31, Parties to the UNFCCC will discuss agenda items with a focus on taking forward progress and decisions from COP 30 in advancing climate action particularly on adaptation, loss and damage and climate finance.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain and Development (ICIMOD)’s continued support to its Regional Member Countries (RMCs) through technical inputs, negotiation briefs, and facilitation of participation has contributed to elevating the mountain agenda within the UNFCCC process.

Building on COP30 progress, the priority at SB64 is to translate political recognition into concrete outcomes. ICIMOD will strengthen coordination among the RMCs, provide real-time technical support, and identify strategic entry points across negotiations. ICIMOD will also work closely with RMCs, partners, co-facilitators and UNFCCC Secretariat on the dialogue on mountains and climate change supporting parties to strengthen mountains in UNFCCC.

SB64 will also be leveraged to enhance regional and inter-regional collaboration and strengthen the science–policy interface, helping to sustain momentum toward more concrete outcomes, increased ambition, and greater investment for climate action in mountain regions.

Context

Building on continued engagements and advocacy for mountains across COP26 in Glasgow, England, COP27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, COP28 in UAE, and COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, ICIMOD’s engagement in the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies  this year, is a key step to operationalise progress made at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

At COP28, mountains were recognised for the first time in UNFCCC outcomes, and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) 60 hosted the first experts’ dialogue on mountains and climate change. This momentum continued through COP29 and SB62. COP30 further advanced the mountain agenda, with stronger visibility of mountain-specific risks and references within adaptation and resilience discussions. SB64 now provides a timely opportunity to translate this momentum into technical progress, strengthen coordination among ICIMOD’s RMCs, and further anchor mountain priorities across key UNFCCC workstreams and contribute to the dialogue on mountains and climate change.

Dialogue on mountains and climate change at SB60. Photo credit: ENB-IISD/UNFCCC

Objectives

Contribute

Contribute to and support RMCs in negotiation bringing in mountain agenda in different negotiation tracks (adaptation, loss and damage, finance) including contributions to the dialogue on mountains and climate change.

Advocate

Advocate the importance of the HKH region and mountains and call for increased support and climate actions

Enhance

Enhance existing partnership and build new ones – RMCs, regional and global stakeholders/groups working on mountain agenda

Thematic focus

ICIMOD will support its RMCs navigate the following thematic areas:

Adaptation

Advance the operationalisation and refinement of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) framework following the COP30 outcome on indicators
Ensure mountain-relevant indicators are further strengthened, operationalised, and supported with robust data for transparent tracking of adaptation progress
Promote coherence between GGA indicators, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and adaptation communications, while supporting their refinement and developing implementation guidance

Research and systematic observation (RSO)

Support research, systematic observation, and development of data archives, particularly on the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) mountain data
Cooperate through the exchange of information; and contribute to the breakout session on Climate risks, impacts and tipping points at the UNFCCC 18th Research dialogue under the RSO process

Finance

Support HKH countries as they engage in negotiations and implementation discussions on climate finance, while identifying potential investment opportunities and financing pathways for mountain adaptation and resilience
Support operationalising the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance (NCQG), including advancing delivery of the $300 billion target under the broader Baku–Belém roadmap toward $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries
Advocate the need to scale up grant-based adaptation finance, improve access to climate finance for vulnerable mountain countries and communities, and strengthen the integration of mountain priorities within climate finance mechanisms and investment frameworks

Dialogue on mountain and climate change

Strengthen recognition of mountain ecosystems and communities within global climate processes by promoting science-based evidence and regional perspectives from the HKH
Advance integration of mountain priorities into adaptation planning and implementation, including the GGA, NAPs, climate finance, and loss and damage, engaging with parties, experts, and partners to strengthen mountains in UNFCCC processes