Round-table Event – Adapting to climate change in mountain areas: What solutions work?

Date and time

20 February, 2-3PM CET, online event

About

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Adaptation at Altitude (A@A) programme are supporting parliaments in addressing the impacts of climate change in mountains and building the resilience of mountain ecosystems and mountain populations. Following the success of the International Mountain Day webinar series (2020-2023) and the joint issue brief Responding to climate change in the mountains: Opportunities for parliamentarians to act, the IPU and A@A organized a round-table discussion with parliamentarians, focusing on policies and good practices for addressing climate change in mountain areas.

This round-table discussion convened a group of parliamentarians from different regions to explore how they can drive climate action, including the implementation of NDCs. It provided a platform for knowledge-sharing among parliamentarians, highlighting challenges, opportunities and national examples of how climate change in mountain areas is being addressed.

The round-table included the following speakers:

• Alex Mackey, Project Manager at Zoï Environment Network / Adaptation at Altitude Programme, who shared insights on the important linkages between mountain areas, climate action, and sustainability
• Jacqueline Amongin, Member of Parliament from Uganda, who provided an overview of challenges in Uganda, particularly natural hazards and downstream impacts which have cascading effects in the different areas
• Marie Noelle Battistel, Member of Parliament from France, who discussed the impacts of climate change on mountain tourism, and how the country is preparing for these changes
• Ignacio Jaque, Fundacion Glaciares Chilenos who shared the work of the civil society organization to engage with communities on glacier preservation and awareness-raising

The round-table was designed to be informal and dynamic to maximize interactivity. It aimed to discuss the following questions:

• What are parliamentarians’ needs and priorities for advancing climate action in mountain areas? Are specific types of support or guidance required?
• What are some examples of parliamentary action, including legislative action, to ensure mountains are included in national efforts to address climate change? If mountains are not included in national climate action, what are the barriers to this?
• How can parliamentarians use their oversight functions to hold their governments accountable on NDC implementation, including in mountain areas?
• How can parliamentarians engage with mountain communities to ensure their climate adaptation needs are being addressed?

The insights gathered in this round-table discussion will inform the development of a collection of best practices for addressing climate change in mountain areas. Examples of climate action identified in the discussion may also be featured on the A@A Solutions Portal. These contributions will be available to a wider audience and will be instrumental in shaping future policy responses to climate change in mountain areas.

Recordings

See the video recordings below (one in English and one with French translation)!

Roundtable: Adapting to climate change in mountain areas: What solutions work? (in English)

Table ronde : S’adapter au changement climatique en montagne: Quelles solutions fonctionnent?