The inaugural edition of the “Sagarmatha Sambaad”, which Nepal prioritised as a  high-level international dialogue on climate action, sustainability, and global partnerships, concluded in Kathmandu on Sunday with the adoption of a 25-point declaration titled the “Sagarmatha Call for Action”. It  underscored global urgency to combat the climate crisis, particularly in mountain regions.

Held from May 16 to 18, 2025, the high-level dialogue was convened under the theme “Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity.” The event brought together a diverse range of stakeholders including policymakers, climate scientists, environmental activists, international development partners, and representatives of vulnerable mountain communities, reported the state-owned RSS news agency.

The “Call for Action”—issued as the official outcome document of the summit—reaffirms global climate commitments while proposing concrete steps to safeguard fragile mountain ecosystems and ensure the sustainable future of the planet.

Recognizing climate change as an unprecedented global threat, the document stresses the vital role that mountain ecosystems, glaciers, and cryosphere systems play in sustaining freshwater, regulating hydrological cycles, and preserving biodiversity. It warns that the accelerating loss of glaciers, snow, and ice sheets poses severe and cascading risks to both natural and human systems, including water shortages, extreme weather events, and rising sea levels.

Despite contributing negligibly to global emissions, mountain communities are among the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change, a reality the declaration characterizes as a profound climate injustice.

The 25-Point declaration includes:-

1. Reaffirm the urgency to hold the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by accelerating mitigation actions, building adaptive capacity and resilience, addressing loss and damage, and strengthening partnerships to ensure a sustainable future for all.
2. Encourage countries to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 to keep 1.5°C alive, aligned with the latest science that calls for urgent and transformative global action.
3. Further encourage countries to develop and implement National Adaptation Plans to respond to country–specific adaptation needs.
4. Call for enhanced provision and mobilization of international financial support, particularly through grants and concessional financing for implementation of climate actions in developing countries, including countries in special situations.
5. Encourage collective efforts to ensure equitable and simplified access for the developing countries, particularly those vulnerable to climate change, to the international climate finance from bilateral, multilateral and alternative sources, including the operating entities of the Financial Mechanisms and the Funds under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.
6. Support the call for the establishment of a dedicated fund for the development of mountain countries to mobilize targeted financial resources for climate action and sustainable development in mountainous regions.
7. Prioritize the recognition, respect, and rewarding of mountain ecosystem services through leveraging existing and innovative financing sources.
8. Emphasize the role of private sector finance and carbon markets in scaling up sustainable climate actions.
9. Strengthen global and regional partnerships to facilitate access to climate-friendly technologies and enhance capacity building.
10. Reaffirm the need for collaboration among the policymakers, scientific institutions, private sector and other relevant stakeholders to drive innovation and mutual learning to formulate appropriate policies and programmes that address the inherent vulnerabilities to climate change.
11. Acknowledge the importance of promoting green, resilient and inclusive development, ranging from small to large-scale infrastructures, in both rural and urban communities, as appropriate.
12. Stress the significance of clean energy, energy efficiency and just energy transitions, recognizing the importance of powering the future through clean energy as well as green, circular and bio-economies.
13. Promote science, technology and innovation-based solutions for addressing climate-induced disasters, and conserving glaciers, water resources, forests and agricultural systems.
14. Encourage dialogues on mountains and climate change agenda with special focus on triple planetary crisis and short-lived climate forcers, given their profound impact on regional climate, monsoons, cryosphere and public health.
15. Recognize the urgency of strengthening data systems, ensuring data sharing and interoperability, and developing climate attribution and early warning mechanisms tailored to the needs of developing countries.
16. Underscore the need to establish a robust linkage between mountain and ocean-specific risk assessment, monitoring, and early warning systems using advanced science, technology, and innovation.
17. Promote climate justice across all climate actions by ensuring fair, inclusive and evidence-based solutions to the developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
18. Foster inclusive climate actions through active participation of children, youth, women, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and maintain gender balance while upholding intra- and inter-generational equity.
19. Call to initiate the creation of a multi-stakeholder international platform on mountain and climate change for dialogue, innovation and empowerment, with the aim of amplifying the voices of mountain communities in global climate processes.
20. Recognize the role of local and indigenous communities in climate policies, programmes and actions, including adaptation and conservation initiatives.
21. Emphasize the need to develop mechanisms for payment of environmental services, enabling them to adopt innovative climate financing.
22. Emphasize the need for developing knowledge centres, sharing best practices, and enhancing the roles of local communities in climate policies, programmes and actions.
23. Resolve to forge a common voice for urgent climate action that resonates from the Sagarmatha to the seas, and from highlands to islands.
24. Acknowledge the relevance of the theme of the first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad in highlighting the adverse impacts of climate change from mountains to lowlands; forging common understanding and actions to uplift communities in vulnerable situations; and reaffirming commitment to continue working for a just, resilient and sustainable future for all.
25. Express appreciation to all the dignitaries and delegates for attending the Sagarmatha Sambaad, a permanent forum to foster global dialogue on key issues of national, regional and global significance and look forward to its continuity ahead.  

(With inputs from RSS)