Renewable energy
Mountains play as key role in providing renewable energy, especially through hydropower, solar power, wind power and biogas for downstream cities and remote mountain communities.
Hydropower currently provides around a fifth of all electricity worldwide, and some countries rely almost exclusively on mountain regions for hydropower generation In Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Peru, at least 95 percent of hydropower is generated in mountain regions.
Solar power can also be efficiently produced in mountains and other cold regions - contrary to popular belief. The Himalayas and Tropical Andes are particularly promising locations for the development of solar energy, where installations could produce approximately 20 percent more energy than they could at sea level. In Nepal, for example, almost all remote airports and telecommunication facilities are powered by solar energy; solar cookers are widely used in the mountain regions of China and India.
Wind power is a vast, but largely untapped source of potential sustainable energy in mountains. Even at lower elevations, the terrain and topography of mountains can create wind corridors with high wind speeds that are ideally suited for wind turbine development.
Sustainable energy brings benefits to human health, the mountain environment and global climate. Reduced dependency on firewood, for example, can lead to fewer respiratory diseases, improved water and soil conservation, and less black carbon (soot) in the atmosphere – one of the most widespread short-lived climate pollutants. However, many sustainable energy sources in mountains remain unused or underutilized.
Shaping the water-energy-food nexus for resilient mountain livelihoodspublicationThis new Issue Brief from the Center for Development and Environment explores whether a water-energy-food nexus approach offers a way to identify forward-looking options and policies to strengthen the livelihoods and resilience of people living in our changing mountains. The Issue Brief was funded by the Austrian Development Agency and... Download » |
International Mountain Day 2019 Einaudi concert in Milanpeak to peakThe December 2019 issue of Peak to Peak highlights International Mountain Day, held every year on 11 December. The newsletter includes an announcement of the Einaudi concert to be held in Milan to celebrate this year's IMD. The newsletter continues with the Members' Voices section, this month featuring a college... Download » |
Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report 2018publicationThe Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report outlines key achievements in promoting sustainable mountain development last year in its 2018 annual report. The publication documents the Secretariat’s work in the areas of advocacy, communication and knowledge management, promoting International Mountain Day, brokering joint action and leading capacity development initiatives. This publication... Download » |
IMD celebrated in over 35 countries in 2018peak to peakThe February 2019 issue of Peak to Peak starts by discussing IMD 2018 celebrations that took place in over 35 countries. The newsletter continues with stories about revitalizing mountains through agriculture and tourism, and exploring mountain food systems. Peak to Peak provides a sampling of Mountain Partnership members’ activities and events... Download » |
Caucasus Mountain Forum 2018eventThe second Caucasus Mountain Forum, organized by the Scientific Network for the Caucasus Region under the theme “The Caucasus Research Agenda – a Key to Sustainable Regional Development”, will be held from 30 October to 2 November 2018 in Ankara, Turkey. The 2018 Caucasus Mountain Forum theme encompasses the subject...
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#MountainsMatter Photo ContestnewsThe Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched a #MountainsMatter Photo Contest in celebration of International Mountain Day that is observed every year on 11 December 2018. Participants from around the world are encouraged to submit photos showing why mountains matter to them. Approximately 13 percent of the world’s population...
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