Water
Each day, one of every two people on the planet quenches his thirst with water that originates in mountains. And as the world population swells to an estimated 9.6 billion by 2050, the worldwide demand for freshwater will continue to soar.
More than half of humanity relies on mountain freshwater for everyday life. The ten largest rivers originating in the Hindu Kush Himalayas alone supply water to over 1.35 billion people. Some of the world’s largest cities, including New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, Tokyo and Melbourne, are dependent on freshwater from mountains.
Climate change is already causing more than 600 glaciers to disappear, resulting in springs and rivers drying up. Greater frequency of extreme weather events, droughts and floods, including flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), are also expected to increase in mountains, causing imbalance between current water supply and demand.
Given the importance of mountain water resources worldwide, the careful management of mountain water resources is a global priority. Water management practices need to be adapted to different climatic zones, using locally adapted soil and water management techniques. Most importantly, watershed management must take into account the needs of all those who depend on mountain water, including those who have the greatest stake in preserving healthy mountain ecosystems – people who live in mountain areas themselves, who are often marginalized from the decision-making processes.
Mountains to be featured at UNFCCC COP22peak to peakIssue 98 – Month 11 – Year 2016 The November issue of Peak to Peak presents a complete list of mountain-related events, exhibits and fora taking place during the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The... Download » |
Outcomes of the 2016 World Mountain ForumnewsThe 2016 World Mountain Forum (WMF) provided a platform to discuss sustainable mountain development (SMD) in the context of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WMF 2016 resulted in a Mbale Call for Scaling Up Action, themed 'Don’t leave the mountains behind,' which...
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Fifth Global Meeting of the Mountain PartnershipeventThe Fifth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership (MP) was to take place 21-22 October 2016 in Mbale, Uganda, but has been postponed to 2017. The new date and venue are to be determined. This Global Meeting will provide members with an opportunity to discuss delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals,...
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In memory of Lawrence S. HamiltonnewsMountain expert and environmental leader Lawrence “Larry” S. Hamilton passed away on 6 October 2016. During his lifetime, Larry Hamilton was a global leader in researching and raising awareness about mountain issues. He was a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the International Union...
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The role of heritage territories in mountainsnewsA photofilm about three biocultural heritage territories and their role in conserving biodiversity and promoting locally-determined development is now available in a Spanish language version. The six-minute film uses stunning photographs to present the Quechua Potato Park in the mountains of Peru, the Naxi Seed Park in China, and the...
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UN report on sustainable mountain developmentnewsThe United Nation Secretary-General (UNSG) has issued a report on sustainable mountain development (SMD) covering the last three years. Prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat in collaboration with governments, UN agencies and other organizations, the report describes the...
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