UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres calls on mountain countries to take bold action on climate change mitigation and adaption

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.

Webinar "Mountains, parliaments, and the Global Goal on Adaptation: preparing for COP 28"

Webinar "Mountains, parliaments, and the Global Goal on Adaptation: preparing for COP 28"

event

Following the success of International Mountain Day webinars in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Adaptation at Altitude programme are pleased to present another joint event ahead of the COP 28 with the theme of reaching adaptation goals in the mountains. Climate change is bringing considerable challenges to...

Read more »
The Canadian Mountain Assessment

The Canadian Mountain Assessment

publication

The Canadian Mountain Assessment provides a first-of-its-kind look at what we know, do not know, and need to know about mountains in Canada. It is based on insights from Indigenous knowledges of mountains, as well as findings from an extensive assessment of pertinent academic literature. The Canadian Mountain Assessment's inclusive...

Download »
Enter the 2023 International Mountain Day photo contest

Enter the 2023 International Mountain Day photo contest

peak to peak

The November 2023 issue of Peak to Peak calls for submissions for the 2023 International Mountain Day photo contest, which focuses on restoring mountain ecosystems. Top news covers the launch of the Mountain Partnership's Mountain Youth Hub during the United Nations Global Indigenous Youth Forum, the creation of a new...

Download »
Launch of the African NGOs Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (ANAES)

Launch of the African NGOs Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (ANAES)

event

Africa faces numerous environmental challenges, including ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss, wildlife poaching, poverty and pollution, all accelerated by climate change. These challenges are complex and require collective efforts to address them effectively.

In collaboration with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS Network) has initiated the African...

Read more »
7th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention COP7)

7th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention COP7)

event

The 7th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention COP7) will take place in Belgrade, Serbia, from 11 to 13 October 2023. It will gather high-level representatives from the seven State Parties to the Convention,...

Read more »
MountResilience project kicks-off: helping European mountain communities adapt to climate change

MountResilience project kicks-off: helping European mountain communities adapt to climate change

news

The MountResilience project kicked-off in Ponte di Legno, Italy on the 19–21 September 2023. MountResilience (Accelerating transformative climate adaptation for higher resilience in European mountain regions) targets mountain territories and their communities to help them adapt to climate change.

Funded by Horizon 2020 with a total budget of EUR 15...

Read more »
Home > mountain-partnership > Our work > Climate change