30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30)
10.11.2025 | 08:00 –
21.11.2025 | 17:00
10.11.2025 | 08:00 –
21.11.2025 | 17:00
21.11.2025 | 17:00
Belém, Brazil
From 10-21 November, the world will come together in Belém, Brazil to agree on actions to address the climate crisis.
COP30 will bring together world leaders and negotiators from the member states (or Parties) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to further global progress on climate change, with business leaders, young people, climate scientists, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society sharing insights and best practices to strengthen global, collective and inclusive climate action.
A number of events relevant to the mountain research community will be taking place at COP30. For a full list, please see below.
Mountain- and Cryosphere-Related Events at COP30
| Date | Event | Organization | Time (UTC- 3)/Room |
| Side events | |||
| Tuesday, 11 Nov 2025 | Building Resilience from Cryosphere to Small Island Development States The event will showcase approaches to tackle cryosphere decline—from global monitoring and hazard mapping to community-led adaptation and nature-based solutions, and focus on key action areas for reducing vulnerabilities and fostering innovation. | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) | 15:00—16:30 Side Event Room 2 |
| Thursday, 13 Nov 2025 | The Central Role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Just Energy Transitions Indigenous peoples and local communities share their experiences confronting extractive frontiers and low- carbon technologies. They address false solutions and uplift just climate initiatives to drive a community-led energy transition rooted in deep relationships to land and ecosystems. | American Anthropological Association (AAA) Climate Alliance Austria (CAA) Climate Alliance Italy, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Instituto de Ecología y Antropología de Acción (INFOE) | 16:45—18:15 Side Event Room 5 |
| Friday, 14 Nov 2025 | Catalyzing Resilient Infrastructure Investment in Mountain Regions Mountains are home to nearly 14% of the world’s population and supply vital ecosystem services to billions downstream. Yet, climate and disaster risks are escalating, threatening | CDRI | 12:00-13:15 DRI Pavilion |
| both infrastructure and livelihoods. By convening policymakers, international organizations, and mountain community representatives, the session aims to accelerate investments, partnerships, and solutions that strengthen resilience in mountain regions worldwide. The session will feature the release of a publication on DRI in Mountain Regions. | |||
| Friday, 14 Nov 2025 | Highlighting mountains: incorporating mountain priorities into the UNFCCC Within the Mountain Partnership framework, this side event aims to elevate the mountain agenda and convene Mountain Partnership members to align on common priorities for mountain ecosystems and communities, including the Global Goal on Adaptation, Global Stocktake and Just Transition process. | Andorra Asociación Civil Oikos (OIKOS), Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC) | 13:15—14:45 Side Event Room 1 |
| Friday, 14 Nov 2025 | Cryosphere Tipping Points: Glaciers and Ice Sheets and Sea-level Rise: From Andes to Amazonia Our heating planet has begun to trigger irreversible changes to ice sheets and glaciers, with increasing damage to coastal and downstream communities: from glaciers to coral reefs, Andes to Amazonia. Science makes clear that emissions reductions cannot delay further: IPCC researchers explain why. | Iceland Climate Policy Center (CPC), International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), Karuna Foundation Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), The George Washington University (GWU) | 15:00—16:30 Side Event Room 9 |
| Friday, 14 Nov 2025 | Cryosphere Adaptation & Disaster Risk Reduction: Lessons Learned and Next Steps for the HKH Region The session aims to deliberate on cryosphere risks with special focus on local leanings on accelerated glacial melt in the Hindu Kush Karakoram region and formulate unified recommendations for managing risks to communities and economies through grounded adaptation strategies. | Pakistan International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) | 16:45—18:15 Side Event Room 9 |
| Friday, 14 Nov 2025 | Mountain areas: Interlinkages between the biodiversity and climate change agendas Mountain ecosystems and the communities downstream are highly vulnerable to climate impacts. This event will explore mountains as critical spaces for integrated climate and biodiversity action, showcasing challenges and adaptation solutions from mountain regions around the world. | ZOI Environment Network (ZOI) Bhutan Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina (CONDESAN) Nepal | 18:30—20:00 Side Event Room 7 |
| Saturday, 15 Nov 2025 | COP30 – Adapting to a changing cryosphere: Lessons from the Andes on securing water and reducing risks Join Adaptation at Altitude at the COP30 Cryosphere Pavilion for a dynamic discussion on how mountain regions are adapting to a changing cryosphere. Drawing on lessons from the Andes and beyond, this session will highlight effective solutions for building resilience, securing water, and reducing risks — and explore how local successes can inform global adaptation policy. | Adaptation at Altitude | Time TBD Cryosphere Pavilion & Online |
| Monday, 17 Nov 2025 | Critical Minerals and the Energy Transition: Centering Rights, Justice, and Equity This event examines the rising demand for critical minerals in the shift to renewables. Global South communities confront extractivism, corporate capture, and neo-colonial supply chains—demanding transitions that are not only fossil-free, but fair, democratic, and anti-extractive. | Academy for Mountain Environics (AME) Gansu “Green Camel Bell” Environment and Development Center (Green Camel Bell) | 16:45—18:15 Side Event Room 9 |
| Monday, 17 Nov 2025 | Opportunity for Climate Action in the A.I. Acceleration Era Science basis for climate change and mitigation process; Future of clean energy in climate change; AI supervises/promotes climate change adaption; Potential of blue economy in combating climate change; Navigating geopolitical challenge to safeguard climate goal; Cryosphere digital twin for climate action | China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (IESEA CAAS) | 16:45—18:15 Side Event Room 5 |
| Wednesday, 19 Nov 2025 | Tools for Climate Organizing To tackle the climate emergency, we need a strong movement. We need to be able to address difficulties in our relationships as they arise, resolve them and move forward together. In the event, we will share the tools, knowledge and practices we use to sustain ourselves and build a powerful movement. | Reevaluation Foundation Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association (DDMBA) Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) | 15:00—16:30 Side Event Room 8 |
| Thursday, 20 Nov 2025 | Capacity Building, Adaptation, & Just Transition: Conflict, Communication, Cross-Border Cooperation Implementing climate policies and actions needs clear communication, inclusive governance, and the management of conflict. This session shares good practices for fostering domestic and cross-border cooperation in these areas to build trust, support NDCs and NAPs, and advance a just transition. | Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) International Environmental Communication Association (IECA) Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe (OSCE) | 16:45—18:15 Side Event Room 8 |
| Pavilions | |||
| DRI Pavilion | Blue Zone | Link | |
| Cryosphere Pavilion | Blue Zone | Link | |
This list was compiled by the Mountain Partnership, a voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to improving the lives of mountain people and protecting mountain environments around the world.
www.fao.org/mountain-partnership
Cover image: Vugar Ibadov / UNFCCC