Mountain Day 2011 - COP 17

Highlight the Critical Role of Mountain Ecosystems for Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Development, UNFCCC COP 17

Why Mountain Day?

Almost 90 of the world’s countries have more than one-quarter of their territory in the mountains. More than 50% of the world’s population depends on water sourced from mountains. Mountains also provide high-quality natural products, rich agro-biodiversity, habitats for rare and endangered flora and fauna, and resources for tourism and recreation. However climate and global changes are having serious impacts on mountain ecosystem goods and services, particularly water, biodiversity, and atmospheric circulation. There is therefore an urgent need to raise awareness and promote policy actions to ensure the critical contribution of mountain ecosystems in meeting adaptation and sustainable development goals in upstream and downstream areas alike.

What are the Impacts of Climate Change on Mountains?

Mountain regions have experienced above-average warming in recent years, with significant implications for the ecosystem goods and services they provide to humanity, which are especially critical for the survival of poor and indigenous communities. Scenarios of climate change in mountain regions are highly uncertain and poorly understood, with large gaps in knowledge.

What Will Happen at Mountain Day?

Mountain Day will assemble a high-level panel of global personalities, ministers, and scientists to advocate the value and critical role of mountains and share scientific evidence and examples of challenges and opportunities. The day-long programme will also include plenary presentations and discussions, working groups, and panel discussions. The organisers hope that Mountain Day will conclude with the adoption of the Durban Declaration on Mountains and Climate Change.

What Will Mountain Day Achieve?

Mountain Day will call to the COP17 delegates and global development partners for more concerted and long-term actions at the national, regional, and global levels to save vital mountain ecosystems. It is hoped that the knowledge shared and the evidence presented will provide a powerful and convincing message to ensure that UNFCCC deliberations include provisions for protecting mountain systems’ integrity for the survival of current and future generations.

Downloads

Event Flyer (PDF, 257KB)

Programme

Mountain Day – 4 December 2011

The Breakers Resort, Durban, South Africa

9:00-9:30	Registration
9:30-10:30	Session A: Opening Session
	Chair: Mr Hem Raj Tater, Honourable Minister of Environment, Government of NepalVideo film: “Melting Himalayas” – 3 mins Welcome remarks: Dr David Molden, Director General, ICIMOD – 8 mins Mrs Vera Scholz, Head of GIZ Climate Change Department – 8 mins Keynote Address by the Chief Guest: Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Director General of the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India – 15 mins Download presentation (PDF, 120KB) Brief introduction of the Mountain Day programme: Dr Madhav Karki, Deputy Director General, ICIMOD and Mountain Day Coordinator – 5 mins Download presentation (PDF, 2.11MB) Remarks by Chair: Mr Hem Raj Tater, Honorouble Minister of Environment, Government of Nepal – 5 mins
10:40-11:50	Session B: Mountains Ministers’ Panel
	Theme: Mountain Agenda, Climate Change and Rio+20 Chair & Moderator: Honourable Dr Pema Gyamtsho, Minister of Agriculture and Forest, Bhutan – 10 mins Honourable Minister of Environment of Italy (TBC) – 5 mins Honourable Minister of Environment, Costa Rica (confirmed). – 5 mins Honourable Minister of Environment, Ethiopia (TBC) – 5 mins Honourable Minister Mr. Stanislas Kamanzi Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources Republic of Rwanda (TBC) – 5 mins Honourable Minister of Environment, Nepal (confirmed) – 5 mins Q & A and wrap up – 30 mins
12:00-13:00	Session C: Policy/Decision Makers Panel to Reflect and Moderate discussion on the topic
	Global, Regional and National Policies and Approached For Sustainable mountain Development in a Changing Climate:Chair of the Panel: Ms Mary Barton-Dock, Director ENV Department – 5 mins Members of the Panel: Mr Kamil Vilinovic, Directoral Geeneral of Department of EU and Environmental Policies (TBC) – 5 mins Mr Krishna Gyawali, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Govt. of Nepal – 5 mins Mr Yannick Glemarec, Director of Environmental Finance, UNDP HQ, New York – 5 mins Mr Marco Onida; Secretary General; Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention – 5 mins Q & A and wrap up – 30 mins
13:00-14:00	Lunch
14:00-16:00	Session D: Parallel Working Sessions
	Session D1: Mountains, Climate Change from Scientific Evidence to Policy and Adaptation
	Chair: Dr David Molden, Director General, ICIMOD Regional paper on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation Options in HKH -Dr Eklabya Sharma and Dr. Bhaskar Karky, ICIMOD – 12 mins Download presentation (PDF, 2.5MB) Information on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation in Europe (André Jol, Head of Group for Vulnerability and Adaptation – European Environment Agency) and Baptiste Chatré, Alpine Convention – 12 mins Download presentation (PDF, 1.17MB) Impacts of climate change in the Andean Mountains -Dirk Hoffmann, MSc.; Director, Bolivian Mountain Institute – BMI, Bolivia – 12 mins Download presentation (PDF, 1.31MB) Impacts of climate change in the Pamir Mountains -Mr Ilhom Rajabov, Head, Climate Change Centre, Tajikistan – 12 mins Download presentation (PDF, 951KB) Mountains, Climate Change from Scientific Evidence to Policy and Adaptation – Linking Scientific Evidence to Actions -Dr. Paolo Cristofanelli, Researcher, EVK2CNR – 12 mins Download presentation (PDF, 1.31MB) Moderated Exchange with Audience Dr Dinesh Chandra Devkota, Former Vice-Chair, National Planning Commission, Nepal – 5 mins Dr BMS Rathore, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India – 5 mins One Chinese climate policy maker (TBC)
	Session D2: Mountains and Adaptation – Challenges and Opportunities with a Vision of Rio+20
	Chair: Mr Mario Boccucci,Chief, UNEP Terrestrial Ecosystems Unit Green Economy for Sustainable Adaptation and in Mountains: Mainstreaming climate change into Rio+20 -Joint presentation by ICIMOD, UNEP and MPS – 10 mins Download presentation (PDF, 540KB) Implementation Challenges for Adaptation – GIZ Experiences in Mountains -Mrs Vera Scholz, Head of GIZ Climate Change Department – 10 mins Download presentation (PDF, 946KB) Gender and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies, Opportunities and Policies in Mountain Contexts -Dr Asun St. Clair, Lead Author, 5th IPCC Fifth Assessment report, Working Group II – 10 mins Download presentation (PDF, 557KB) Promoting South-South Exchange and Collaboration for Improved Adaptation Learning and Resilient Livelihoods Regional Adaptation Roadmap for Mountains -Dr Alton Byers, The Mountain Institute – 8 mins Download presentation (PDF, 2.98MB) A summary of the outcome of the three regional meetings on climate change impacts and adaptation in mountains -Mr Olman Serrano, Coordinator, MPS, FAO, Rome – 8 mins Download presentation (PDF, 2.53MB) Application of Satellite Based Knowledge Products for Community Adaptation -Mr Basanta Shrestha, ICIMOD – 5 mins Download presentation (PDF, 905KB) Moderated Exchange with Audience His Excellency Mr Gyan Chandra Acharya, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations & Coordinator for the Least Developed Country Groups at UN – Chair – 5 mins Representative from the COP15 delegates. – 5 mins Willem from University of Pretoria – 5 mins
16:00-18:00	Session E: Inauguration of the Evening Programme: Sharing of the Key Messages
	Presentation by Chairs of Working Sessions Sharing of the Key Mountain Day messages by Mountain Day Coordinator Opening of the Information and Knowledge Market Place with brief remarks by different partners Launch of ICIMOD Publications: Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) Climate Change Synthesis Report; HKH Snow & Ice Report and Database; and Photographic Assessment on Gender & Climate Change – 5-7 mins Photo Exhibition: “Himalaya-Changing Landscapes”
16:30	Cocktail

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Mountain Day 2011 - COP 17

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