An agenda item on the Himalayas proposed by Nepal, Bhutan and Kyrgyzstan has not been included in the formal list of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) after failing to secure the backing of several major blocs.Nepal called for a dedicated work programme on “mountain and climate change” under the COP31 process, highlighting the growing impact of climate-triggered disasters on mountain communities, livelihoods and fragile ecosystems.Addressing the opening plenary of the 31st COP31 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Antalya, Türkiye, on November 9, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Khanal stressed the urgency of strengthening global cooperation to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C.He called for mountain-specific indicators to be incorporated into the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) frameworks.He also emphasised the need to protect fragile mountain ecosystems and address the cascading impacts of climate change from the Himalayas to downstream regions.Khanal had urged the international community to support Nepal in rebuilding climate-affected areas in a faster, more equitable and resilient manner.He said frontline countries such as Nepal faced disproportionate climate risks despite contributing relatively little to global emissions. He reiterated Nepal’s demand for climate justice, accessible loss and damage funding and stronger international partnerships to build resilience across the Himalayas and protect downstream regions.Speaking to PTI at COP31, Khanal said the three countries would continue to face challenges in getting the issue formally recognised without the support of major countries.“This is part of a big negotiation. Different major blocs did not support it, and that made it difficult for the agenda to go through. From our side, we pushed as hard as we could. There were different voices in the room. Some explicitly supported our agenda, while others were quite reluctant,” he said.