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.
![]() CONDESAN hosts first Latin American edition of IPROMOnewsThe first ever Latin American edition of the IPROMO training programme, “IPROMO Latinoamericano”, closed on 1 June 2021. Held under the theme "Sustainable management of socio-ecosystems in the Andes", the course was organized by the Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN) through the Adaptation at... Read more » |
![]() Next MP Global Meeting to be held in Aspen, USA in 2022peak to peakThe July 2021 issue of Peak to Peak announces the host and location of the sixth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership, to be held in 2022. Members' Voices features new member Last Forest Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., a social enterprise that promotes eco-friendly, thoughtful and meaningful products made by indigenous communities in the mountains of... Download » |
![]() Glaciers of the Himalayas: Climate Change, Black Carbon, and Regional ResiliencepublicationMelting glaciers and the loss of seasonal snow pose significant risks to the stability of water resources in South Asia. The 55 000 glaciers in the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain ranges store more freshwater than any region outside of the North and South Poles. Their ice reserves feed... Download » |
![]() MP's dialogue highlights sustainable food systems in mountainsnewsThe diversity of mountain food systems and the role of mountain people as custodians of knowledge and agrobiodiversity were highlighted in an Independent Dialogue organized by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat to inform the first-ever UN Food Systems Summit. This milestone Summit, which will take place in New York in September... Read more » |
![]() Highlighting sustainable food systems in mountains for the UN Food Systems Summit 2021publicationAs a contribution to the discussion on sustainable food systems in mountains in the lead up to the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, an info sheet has been developed by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and Theresa Tribaldos, Centre for Development and Environment. Mountain agriculture and food production sustain the livelihoods of... Download » |
![]() Call for inputs: 2020 MPS Annual Reportpeak to peakThe February 2021 issue of Peak to Peak opens with a call for Mountain Partnership members to submit inputs for the Secretariat's 2020 Annual Report. This month, the 'Members' Voices' section features Farmer Tantoh of the Save Your Future Association in Cameroon. Top news stories from January focus on governments in... Download » |
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