Kyrgyzstan promotes mountain agenda at COP30 in Brazil – qazinform.com

Report on Kyrgyzstan’s Leadership in Advancing the Mountain Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals at UNFCCC COP30

Executive Summary

The Republic of Kyrgyzstan, in its capacity as Chair of the Mountain Group under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has taken significant steps to advance the mountain agenda during pre-COP30 high-level meetings. The delegation’s activities underscore a strong commitment to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a primary focus on SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Advocacy for Mountain Ecosystems and Climate Action (SDG 13, SDG 15, SDG 6)

The Kyrgyz delegation emphasized the critical need for coordinated international action to protect mountain regions, which are disproportionately affected by climate change. Key points raised in plenary and thematic events include:

• Vulnerability of Mountain Ecosystems: Mountain regions house fragile cryospheres, unique biodiversity, and critical “water towers” that are subject to accelerated climate impacts, directly threatening progress on SDG 15 and SDG 6.
• Call for Strengthened Cooperation: An urgent call was made to enhance international cooperation and climate finance specifically targeted at mountain countries to bolster their adaptation and resilience efforts, in line with SDG 13.

Fostering Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development (SDG 17)

Kyrgyzstan’s leadership was instrumental in promoting multilateral collaboration, a core principle of SDG 17. This was demonstrated through several key actions:

1. Mountain Dialogue Continuation: At Kyrgyzstan’s proposal, the Brazilian Chairmanship organized multilateral consultations on mountains and climate change, continuing the Mountain Dialogue.
2. Broad International Support: The consultations saw participation from over 70 representatives from 30 countries and organizations, with many nations acknowledging Kyrgyzstan’s leadership and supporting its initiatives.
3. Active Negotiation: The delegation is actively working to ensure the mountain agenda is formally included in the final outcome documents of COP30, solidifying global partnership on this issue.

Strategic Initiatives for Climate Finance and Adaptation (SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 11)

The delegation put forward and participated in concrete initiatives aimed at mobilizing resources and building capacity for climate resilience, contributing to SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

• Proposed Global Hub: A proposal was made to establish a global hub in Bishkek dedicated to building capacity and enhancing the climate resilience of mountain countries.
• Glacier to Farm (G2F) Project: A landmark agreement was signed between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the $250 million G2F project. This initiative will be implemented in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Pakistan to enhance the adaptation and resilience of farmers and vulnerable populations, directly supporting SDG 1 and SDG 2.

Thematic Engagement and Policy Integration

The Kyrgyz delegation engaged in five thematic events, reinforcing the interconnectedness of climate action with other SDGs. The topics covered included:

• Glaciers, the cryosphere, and mountain ecosystems (SDG 13, SDG 15)
• Carbon programs and forest conservation (SDG 15)
• Disaster risk reduction (SDG 11, SDG 13)
• Biodiversity conservation (SDG 15)
• Strengthening Central Asia’s climate action in the context of updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) (SDG 13)

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The entire article revolves around climate change, specifically within the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and COP30. It discusses climate finance, adaptation measures, and coordinated action to address climate impacts.
2. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The article places a strong emphasis on protecting mountain ecosystems, which harbor unique biodiversity and fragile cryospheres. It also mentions forest conservation and biodiversity conservation as key thematic areas of discussion.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The text highlights the importance of international cooperation, multilateral consultations, and partnerships. Examples include Kyrgyzstan’s leadership of the Mountain Group, its partnership with Bhutan and Nepal, and the agreement between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
4. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The article explicitly mentions that mountain ecosystems are where “critical water towers are located,” linking the health of these mountains directly to water resources, which is a core component of SDG 6.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. This is addressed by the “$250 million Glacier to Farm (G2F) project,” which aims to “enhance the adaptation and resilience of farmers and vulnerable populations in mountain regions to climate change.”
   • Target 13.a: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the UNFCCC to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible. This is directly referenced through discussions on “climate finance,” the proposal to double “assistance for adaptation measures,” and the GCF’s role in the G2F project.
2. Under SDG 15 (Life on Land):
   • Target 15.4: By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development. This is the central theme, with Kyrgyzstan advocating for the “mountain agenda” and participating in events on “global priorities for mountain ecosystems, glaciers, the cryosphere… and biodiversity conservation.”
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries. This is demonstrated by the multilateral consultations involving “more than 70 representatives from 30 countries and interested organizations,” the partnership between Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, and Nepal, and the agreement between ADB and the GCF.
4. Under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation):
   • Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes. The article’s reference to mountains as “critical water towers” and the concern for the “fragile cryospheres” (glaciers) directly relates to protecting these vital water-related ecosystems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Indicator 13.a.1: Amount of United States dollars mobilized per year starting from 2020 accountable towards the $100 billion commitment. The article provides a specific financial figure that can be used as an indicator: the “$250 million Glacier to Farm (G2F) project” funded by the ADB and GCF.
2. For SDG 15 (Life on Land):
   • While no specific quantitative indicator is mentioned, the inclusion of the “mountain agenda in the conference’s outcome documents” can be seen as a qualitative indicator of progress towards ensuring the conservation of mountain ecosystems (related to Target 15.4).
3. For SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals. The article implies this by stating that “more than 70 representatives from 30 countries and interested organizations participated in these consultations,” showing the scale of the partnership.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: qazinform.com