Nepal and Bhutan propose dedicated COP31 agenda on 1.5°C warming in mountain regions

Nepal and Bhutan are asking COP31 to formally discuss “1.5°C Warming in Mountains.” They submitted the proposal under Rule 12 of the draft rules of procedure. Their goal is to make mountain risks more visible in global climate negotiations and encourage stronger international action.

The proposal focuses especially on the Hindu Kush Himalaya. It highlights accelerated warming and threats to glaciers, snow cover, permafrost, biodiversity, water supplies, food systems, energy production and livelihoods. It also stresses that mountain changes affect people far downstream.

The proposed agenda item would be considered at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. Nepal and Bhutan say mountain ecosystems need greater institutional recognition, adaptation support, transboundary cooperation, climate finance and assistance for loss and damage.

The danger is not limited to mountain slopes. Nepal and Bhutan say warming is accelerating in regions such as the Hindu Kush Himalaya, where glaciers, snow cover, permafrost and fragile ecosystems are highly sensitive to temperature changes. Some impacts could become irreversible.

For example, shrinking glaciers and changing snowpack can reduce or disrupt water supplies downstream. That can affect agriculture, hydropower, food security, health and disaster risks. Mountain ecosystems also support biodiversity, indigenous cultures and traditional knowledge, while supplying major rivers.

The proposal warns that mountain communities may face threats to their lives, livelihoods and infrastructure. Adaptation could eventually exceed its limits. Because downstream populations and economies depend on mountain water, Nepal and Bhutan argue that warming requires urgent adaptation, cooperation across borders and fair access to finance and loss-and-damage support.

More than two billion people depend on river systems that begin in mountain regions. The figure includes populations across Asia and beyond. These rivers connect high mountain ecosystems with downstream communities and even coastal regions.

Their importance extends well beyond drinking water. The joint submission says mountain-sourced rivers are essential for water, food, energy and health security. Changes in glaciers, snowpack and permafrost can alter water availability, agricultural production, hydropower generation and disaster risks.

This scale explains why Nepal and Bhutan want mountains recognised more clearly in climate negotiations. Mountain warming threatens local communities first, but its consequences can spread through river basins and economies. The countries call for stronger adaptation, transboundary cooperation, climate finance and support for loss and damage.

When glaciers, snowpack and permafrost change quickly, downstream systems can become less reliable. The article links these mountain changes to altered water availability, agricultural production, hydropower generation and disaster risks. The effects can extend far beyond mountain communities.

A mountain river basin shows the mechanism clearly. Ice and snow conditions influence water flowing downstream, while unstable frozen ground and extreme weather can increase hazards. Reduced or disrupted water supplies can affect farms, energy production, health and local economies. These connections bind upstream and downstream communities together.

Nepal and Bhutan warn that such impacts threaten billions of downstream people. They call for enhanced adaptation, stronger cooperation across borders, equitable climate finance and support for loss and damage. The proposal seeks recognition that protecting mountain systems also protects downstream security.

A dedicated UNFCCC work programme on mountain ecosystems would create a regular place for governments to study mountain climate risks and coordinate responses. It would help keep glaciers, biodiversity, water systems, communities and downstream effects visible in climate negotiations. The article itself does not set out a detailed programme design.

In practice, such a programme could gather assessments, share adaptation practices and examine risks to water, food, energy, infrastructure and livelihoods. It could also connect mountain priorities with climate finance, disaster-risk reduction and loss-and-damage discussions. Cooperation between countries sharing river systems would be central.

This interpretation draws on established UN climate-policy practice, not a detailed plan in the submission. Nepal and Bhutan’s stated aim is greater institutional recognition for mountain ecosystems. The proposed COP31 agenda item would be an initial political step toward developing that sustained work.

Adaptation means reducing harm before or as climate impacts occur. Countries could strengthen mountain infrastructure, protect water supplies, improve disaster preparedness and support community-based adaptation. Because rivers cross borders, governments would also need to share information and coordinate action across entire basins.

The article points to risks affecting glaciers, biodiversity, agriculture, hydropower, livelihoods and downstream populations. Practical responses could therefore include planning for changing water flows, protecting vulnerable communities and strengthening systems against extreme weather. Traditional knowledge and community-based practices could help shape locally suitable responses.

Climate finance could fund these measures, while loss-and-damage support could assist people facing serious impacts beyond their capacity to adapt. Nepal and Bhutan specifically call for equitable access to both forms of support. They also emphasise stronger transboundary cooperation as climate-induced disasters become more frequent and severe.

The greenhouse effect is a natural process in which gases in the atmosphere absorb and re-emit some heat from Earth’s surface. This keeps the planet warm enough for life. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The article does not explain this mechanism directly.

When human activities add more of these gases, more heat remains in the climate system instead of escaping to space. Average temperatures rise globally, including in mountain regions. Warming can reduce snow and ice, thaw permafrost and intensify pressure on ecosystems, water supplies and communities.

The article reports that mountain regions, particularly the Hindu Kush Himalaya, are warming rapidly. It links this warming to threats for glaciers, biodiversity, food systems, energy production and livelihoods. The proposed COP31 agenda would give these mountain impacts greater attention within international climate negotiations.