Strengthening Climate Negotiation Capacity in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region

About the Event

This two-day training workshop will provide Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) negotiators with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to understand the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes and engage effectively in the negotiations. The workshop will also provide a platform for peer learning, allowing negotiators to exchange experiences and strategies for addressing the region’s unique challenges. Through a mix of presentations, practical exercises, and simulations, participants will gain the skills to navigate the complexities of UNFCCC negotiations and contribute to shaping a climate agenda that addressing the pressing needs of the HKH region.

Speakers/Facilitators

• Sonam Tashi, Director – Department of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan. Co-facilitator Article 6.4
• Raju Pandit Chhetri – Coordinator, Climate Finance, LDCs Group UNFCCC, and Executive Director, Prakriti Resources Centre
• Sinead Magner – Coordinator, Programs and Policy, Women Development Fund
• Linda Siegele – Independent Consultant/Environmental Lawyer
• Kunzang, Global Lead, Strategic Group: Regional Action and Global Advocacy, ICIMOD
• Pradyumna Rana, Intervention Manager, Global Engagement, Strategic Group: Regional Action and Global Advocacy, ICIMOD

Objectives

The primary goal of the workshop is to build the capacity of negotiators from the HKH region to engage effectively in the UNFCCC processes.

Specific objectives include:

• Increase knowledge of UNFCCC processes: Provide a comprehensive understanding of UNFCCC processes, key documents, and negotiation dynamics.
• Deep dive into adaptation, climate finance, and Article 6: Carbon markets: Offer specialised sessions on adaptation, climate finance, carbon markets and the Global Goal on Adaptation, with a focus on how these issues are relevant to the HKH region.
• Simulation of UNFCCC negotiations: Provide practical experience through mock negotiation exercises, focusing on climate adaptation, where negotiators will practice drafting negotiating texts and navigating real-world COP scenarios.
• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing: Strengthen collaboration between negotiators from the HKH region and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences.

Background:

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sets out the legal framework and principles for international climate change cooperation with the aim of stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to avoid “dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” Since its adoption in 1992, the UNFCCC has been instrumental in shaping climate policy through landmark agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the establishment of key mechanisms for climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. With climate change being a cross-cutting agenda, the UNFCCC negotiations process is multifaceted complex platform.

Notwithstanding significant advances, limited resources, technical knowledge, and the complexity of the negotiating process sometimes make it difficult for global South negotiators to participate actively in the UNFCCC, especially while balancing national priorities with global climate goals. Often in foreign languages, the framework requires thorough understanding of climate science, international law, and financial mechanism. For regions like the Hindu Kush Himalayas, these difficulties impede efficient representation, especially in advocating for adaptation finance or capacity-building support. Furthermore, these negotiators must also contend with the disparity in influence between developed and developing countries, which can hinder their ability to advocate effectively for climate adaptation and finance needs.

The HKH region, which spans across eight countries—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan—hosts some of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet. Home to the world’s highest mountain ranges, the region is disproportionately affected by climate change. Rising temperatures, glacial melt, floods, and changing monsoons all affect around 2.1 billion people make their living in the region and downstream.

Regional socioeconomic inequalities and the necessity to preserve delicate, biodiverse ecosystems pose further difficulties for negotiators from the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. Though it contributes little to world emissions, the area suffers greatly and calls for robust, coordinated national and international responses. Therefore, negotiators from the HKH region must not only be able to represent the interests of their nations but also advocate for region-specific needs, such as climate adaptation strategies and financial support for vulnerable sectors, including agriculture, water, and disaster risk management.