UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres calls on mountain countries to take bold action on climate change mitigation and adaption
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Mountains and climate change
Human activities are profoundly affecting the world’s climate, and mountains are a sensitive indicator of that effect. Because of their altitude, slope and orientation to the sun, mountain ecosystems are easily disrupted by variations in climate. Many scientists believe that the changes occurring in mountain ecosystems may provide an early glimpse of what could come to pass in lowland environments.
As the world heats up, mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, while rare plants and animals struggle to survive over ever diminishing areas, and mountain peoples, already among the world’s poorest citizens, face even greater hardships.
Changes in the volume of mountain glaciers and in their seasonal melting patterns have an impact on water resources in many parts of the world. Changes in water availability due to climate change are taking place at a time when pressure on water resources for irrigation and food production, industrialization and urbanization is increasing.
Understanding how climate change affects mountains is vital as governments and international organizations develop strategies to reverse current global warming trends, elaborating treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In addition, local community empowerment can be an essential step towards building climate change resilience in mountains.
World Social Forum 2024 Nepal highlights mountains and climate justicepeak to peakThe March 2024 issue of Peak to Peak reports on the World Social Forum 2024 Nepal. Top news stories cover a national training on mountain vulnerability assessment in Kyrgyzstan and a new podcast on mountains. Peak to Peak continues with a featured video, publications and upcoming events. Happy reading! |
Achieving sustainable food systems in mountainspeak to peakThe February 2024 issue of Peak to Peak highlights recent international events focused on mountains, including the conference "Enabling resilient and sustainable food systems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya" in Nepal and the European foresight workshop for resilient mountain areas in Belgium. Top news stories and features cover the declaration... Download » |
Sixth GROW training concludes, innovation contest winner announcednewsYsa Calderón from Peru has won the 2023 GROW Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate innovation contest. Her project aims to protect biodiversity and addresses threats to pollinators such as climate change, pesticides and deforestation. The project emphasizes supporting women. The annual GROW course “Agrobiodiversity in a changing climate” closed on...
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COP 28: Elevating mountains for climate security solutionsnews"Mountains are under threat from climate change, posing significant risks to peace and security,” stressed Rosalaura Romeo, Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, during a COP 28 side event on the links between security and climate change in mountains. The event featured a diverse panel of speakers representing intergovernmental and civil...
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Mountains cited five times in key COP 28 final documentnewsFollowing the efforts of many Mountain Partnership government members, mountains were included in the global stocktake text. The document includes five mentions of mountains and an official request for dialogue on mountains and climate change at the 60th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice in...
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Sharing knowledge throughout the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: Good practices for the restoration of mountain ecosystemseventTo support and scale up efforts to restore degraded ecosystems worldwide, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2021–2030 as the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (UN Decade), co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). To help achieve...
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